The Legend of Varion - A Dragonborn's Story
by Destructorbolt
Summary: The tale of the Dragonborn and his adventures in Skyrim. Join Varion as he carves his own path through the land he now calls home. CURRENT ARC:Destiny Arrives - Temporary peace has been forged in Skyrim and now Varion's final battle with Alduin draws near. With his inner turmoil conquered (for now), he will focus everything he has on finally defeating the World Eater for good...
1. Unbound 1 - Waking Up

A bump shook Varion awake. The nords eyes were heavy and he felt a throbbing pain on the back of his head. His vision slowly grew less dark and he tried to move his hand to massage his head, but he noticed that his hands were bound. He felt himself shake again and noticed that he was sitting in a horse drawn cart going through a forest, dressed in rags. He groaned, mourning the loss of his armour, but then he heard a voice from across the cart. "Hey, you! You're finally awake." The speaker was a nord, fair hair, muscular, dressed in some form of armour.

"_Why'd he get to keep his armour, but I lost mine?" _Varion complained in thought, but said nothing.

"You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there." The nord made a gesture with his head and Varion glanced at the other two prisoners on the cart. They were two nords, bound like he was. One was dressed in rags, but the other had far more formal attire on, a cloak with noble robes. He was gagged, and Varion wondered why he alone had been silenced.

"Damn you Stormcloaks!" the ragged nord spoke up from across the cart towards the back. "Skyrim was fine until you came along! Empire was nice and lazy!" Varion rolled his eyes, this guy was rubbing him the wrong way already. "If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to hammerfell!" he whined.

"_So, a complainer and a thief. What riveting company"_ Varion thought sarcastically. The nord turned his attention to Varion.

"You there, you and me, we shouldn't be here. It's those stormcloaks the empire wants!"

"Oh shut up already. Your voice is making my head hurt even more" Varion snarked back. He was tired, sore, and annoyed by this man's complaining. Ralof glanced at the man.

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief!" he said, and judging by his voice he was also annoyed at the situation.

"Shut up back there!" The imperial driver had spoken up from the front of the wagon.

"Hey bastard, take these binds off and say that to me again!" Varion growled back. He was getting less fond of the empire by the second. He'd somewhat supported them in the past, but this was going a long way to put them in his bad books. The imperial officer scoffed and ignored his comment. Varion turned his attention back to his "brothers in binds".

"So, who are you?" Varion spoke up, asking the blonde man.

"I am Ralof, proud Stormcloak soldier" he replied, pride indeed present in his voice. "Who are you?"

"My name is Varion. I'm from Cyrodil, but I was coming home to Skyrim" he replied, figuring that casual conversation was far less daunting than ominous silence.

"It's good for a man to return to his homeland" Ralof said wistfully. "What made you want to come here?"

"Talk of unrest. Mainly the civil war, but I also heard of many other things that were happening" Varion replied. "I figured that my talents would be more use here than across the bordor" he continued. Ralof nodded.

"Talent is sorely needed in these times. Jarl Ulfric could use another talented soldier, if you speak the truth about your abilities" he said with a shrug, gesturing to the gagged man with his hands. At this, the thief jumped, startled.

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion!" he noted. Then his expression turned to fear. "But if they've captured you… Oh gods, where are they taking us?" he panicked. Ralof looked grimly towards the driver and the rest of the imperial caravan.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits!" he declared with determination.

"No, this can't be happening! This isn't happening!" thief guy said with despair in his voice. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Hey, thief! What's your name?" The man in question looked up sadly.

"Lokir. Why do you-" Before he could finish, Varion replied.

"Alright Lokir, stop whining. We've got enough to worry about without you moaning, so shut your damn trap and use your energy to think!" Varion snapped. His temper wasn't normally so volatile, but being captured by imperials who were now taking him to his death made him more angry than usual. "Sorry" he muttered, for what little good apologising would do. The armoured nord turned to Lokir.

"Hey, what village are you from, Lokir?"

"Why do you care?"

"A nords last thoughts, should be of home" he replied, almost wistfully. Varion thought about his words. He thought back to his home, then shuddered. If he was going to die, he didn't want his past to be the first thing on his mind. Lokir looked at his feet.

"Rorikstead. I'm… I'm from Rorikstead…" he mumbled. The man sounded close to breaking, and Varion honestly couldn't blame him. After all, he wasn't heartless, he could understand the guys fear, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel any himself. Ralof turned to Varion again.

"Were you born in Cyrodil kinsman?" he asked curiously.

"I was born in Skyrim, but my family moved there when I was a boy. I haven't visited Skyrim since that day, and that was about 20 years ago" he explained. It's possible that he and Ralof may have conversed more, but suddenly the imperial driver spoke up.

"General Tullius sir! The headsman is waiting!" Varion grimaced, he was being taken to his death.

"Good, let's get this over with" the general replied. Surprisingly, he didn't sound overly thrilled about the whole thing. Varion figured he'd be happier, having seemingly ended the apparent civil war. After all the time he'd spent in Cyrodil, Varion wasn't too up to date with current events in Skyrim.

"Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh! Divines, please help me…" Lokir begged. Varion sighed with pity for the man. As annoying as he was, and despite the fact he was a thief, Varion felt sorry for him, the amount of fear in his eyes was intense. Ralof glanced over at the general, disdain in his eyes.

"Look at him, General Tullius, the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this." At this, Varion glanced over to the general. He saw the robed Altmer stationed next to him, and he gritted his teeth. He was not a fan of the Thalmor in any way, and he'd had several unpleasant run-ins with them before. He'd killed about 5 Justiciars in his life, but he had never been properly targeted by the Thalmor thanks to his measures to kill every last one that attacked him meaning none were alive to speak of him. He tore his eyes away from the devilish Thalmor and turned towards Ralof, who had been speaking again. "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here..." Varion had stopped caring about what Ralof was saying a while ago, but his voice was better than silence. In the background, he heard a father tell his son to go inside and he heard an imperial captain bark an order to get the prisoners out of the carts. He felt the cart he was riding in jerk to a halt and he breathed deeply to calm his heartbeat.

_"This is it. I die_ _here" _he thought, and anger filled his soul.

X-X-X-X-X

"Why are we stopping?" Lokir asked.

"Why do you think? End of the line" Ralof answered solemnly. He turned to Varion. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us" he said. Varion rolled his eyes. If the divines really cared, maybe he wouldn't be about to die. Regardless, he stood up with the rest of the prisoners. Lokir was still freaking out. "No, wait! We're not rebels!" he pleaded. Ralof snorted behind Varion.

"Face your death with some courage, thief!" Lokir wasn't listening as he got off the cart.

"You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!" As Varion got off the cart, he sighed in annoyance.

"Shut. Up." Varion growled. Lokir gulped and remained silent. This was the first time Varion had stood up properly and he certainly wasn't of small stature. He towered over Lokir, being about 6'4 and he was muscular, even for a nord. With the kind of life he led before his capture, he needed to be. He was at least 7 inches taller than Lokir and 1 more than Ulfric, or at least that was what he guessed from his looking over them. However, his muscles didn't seem to worry the captain. "_It's understandable. My hands are bound and she's got a sword"_ he thought to himself.

"Step towards the block when we call your name. One at a time!" she snapped.

"_God, this bitch is bossy"_ Varion thought in his mind, letting out a sigh of annoyance. The other imperial soldier brandished a list. Ralof jumped off the cart and landed next to Varion.

"Empire loves their damn lists!" he complained. The imperial began reading.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm" he said. Ulfric began walking forward. Ralof watched him go, a forlorn expression on his face.

"It has been an honour, Jarl Ulfric." he said solemnly.

"Ralof of Riverwood". As the imperial called his name, Ralof walked forward as the soldier crossed off his name. "Lokir of Rorikstead". As Varion expected, Lokir didn't go as calmly.

"No wait! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" he shouted, then took off at a run.

"No you idiot!" Varion called after him.

"Halt!" the captain commanded. Lokir ignored them both.

"You're not gonna kill me!" he declared as he made a break for the exit of the town.

"Archers!" the captain commanded. As she did, an imperial soldier pulled back an arrow on his bow, and fired it, making a clean shot right through Lokir's head. Varion could hear his dying groan as the arrow took his life near instantly. "Anyone else feel like running?" the captain asked.

"Wait! You there, step forward!" the other soldier commanded. Varion did so, not wanting to die any sooner. The soldier looked him up and down. "Who are you?" he questioned. Varion thought how to answer satisfactorily. He wasn't even on the list, that was a surprise.

"My name is Varion. A bounty hunter and warrior, born in Skyrim, but my family moved to Cyrodil when I was a child. I lived there for a long time before trying to return home. You can see how that went…" he muttered with annoyance. The soldier looked at him sympathetically, but the captain barely changed expression.

"Well, you picked a bad time to come home to Skyrim kinsman" the soldier said. He then turned to his officer. "Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list". The captain folded her arms.

"Forget the list Hadvar, he goes to the block" Hadvar sighed.

"By your orders, Captain". He glanced at Varion sympathetically. "I'm sorry, at least you'll die here in your homeland. Follow the captain Varion." This made him angry.

"What? But I'm not on your damned list! Why the hell are you killing me?" he said with an aggressive tone. The captain looked at him sternly.

"Because for all we know, you're a stormcloak sympathiser in rags. Also, because I'm the one who decides whether you live or die today, and thanks to your outburst, my mind has been made up!" she snapped before turning and walking towards the rest of the people gathered for the execution. Varion sighed. The one chance he had to get some luck and this bitch of a captain was gonna get him killed anyways.

X-X-X-X-X

He trudged over next to the other prisoners and found Tullius speaking with Ulfric. Well, conversing might have been a strong word, Ulfric couldn't really reply while gagged.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne" he said. Ulfric grunted a reply, likely a scathing insult, but he couldn't be understood. At the mention of the voice, Varion understood why the man was gagged. If he could channel the voice, he would undoubtedly a powerful foe. Varion would know, he'd seen the voice be used in combat once before and it was an awesome sight. "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!" the general said fiercely. However, as he did, a strange sound could be heard coming from the direction of the mountain that stood near the village. Everyone looked to the sky at the noise.

"What was that?" Hadvar questioned.

"It's nothing, carry on" the general said dismissively.

"Yes general Tullius!" the captain said with an air of formality. She turned to the priest that was standing nearby. "Give them their last rites," she said. The priest stepped forward and Varion rolled his eyes. This ceremony was only making what time he had left alive more annoying, and he wasn't really thanking the divines at this point.

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved..." As she said that, a stormcloak soldier strode forth.

"For the love of Talos, shut up and let's get this over with!" he shouted. Varion actually was surprised at the soldiers brashness and bravery. It reminded him of himself in a way, except this soldier seemed all too keen to join the afterlife. The priestess scoffed, clearly offended.

"As you wish" she huffed, and walked to stand alongside the general. The soldier was still giving the empire shit.

"Come on! I haven't got all morning!" he snapped. The captain then pushed him down onto the chopping block. "My ancestors are smiling at me imperials. Can you say the same?" the soldier said. However, he would never hear the answer to his question as the headsman's axe swung and chopped his head clean off.

"You imperial bastards!" a stormcloak woman cried.

"Justice!" Another man yelled.

"Death to the stormcloaks" came the shout of another woman. The captain pushed the man's body off the block, the blood still coming out of his neck.

"As fearless in death as he was in life" Ralof lamented. The captain then pointed at Varion.

"Next, the nord in the rags!" she called. However, as she did, the same sound came echoing from the mountain again. To Varion, it sounded almost like a roar. Hadvar and everyone else seemed unnerved, but the captain remained unconcerned.

"There it is again. Did you hear that?" The comment from the worried Hadvar was brushed aside.

"I said, next prisoner!" the captain ordered. Varion was really, really getting sick of her attitude, her stance, her voice… Just her in general really. Hadvar sighed.

"To the block Varion. Nice and easy." Varion strode forward, standing tall. Though he wasn't looking forward to dying, he'd be damned if he let these bastards see him shake. As he walked, the captain moved to stand in his way.

"You'd better not try anything funny" she warned condescendingly. Varion scoffed.

"Move it bitch!" was his reply as he shouldered past her and stood in front of the block. Frankly, he was seconds from death, he could care less about being polite at this point. He noticed the captain's hand move to her sword and some of the archers made to draw an arrow, but he didn't care, he was going to die anyways. "Good grief" he sighed in exasperation before kneeling down of his own volition. The captain still stomped her foot on his back to make sure he was flat on the block, using more force than Varion thought was necessary. He looked at the executioner and the man raised his axe, ready to kill Varion. He thought back through his life, of his past of tragedy, anger and death as well the good times he'd had. He wondered how it had all led to this moment. However, he then saw a giant black behemoth fly out from behind the mountain with the same roar that they'd been hearing earlier. Evidently, the general noticed it too.

"WHAT IN OBLIVION IS THAT?" he shouted in surprise. The captain's voice was finally shaken.

"Sentries, what do you see?" she called. Despite everything that was happening, the damned executioner was still making to cut Varions head off. The sentries replied, saying the creature was in the clouds, but by that time it had already landed on the tower that Varion was facing. The force of the impact caused the executioner to stumble, disrupting his swing. Varion glanced at his apparent saviour It was terrifying, black as ebony, massive and with sharp scales all over its body. The wings were gigantic too, but the most frightening part were it's blood red eyes and how they were fixed on Varion. Even before the townspeople shouted it's species in panic, he had a pretty solid idea of what the creature was.

"DRAGON!" he heard a woman scream. The beast roared and the sky turned an unnatural colour. If that wasn't weird or bad enough, Varion then noticed what seemed to be meteors hailing from the sky, landing in the down and causing pretty big damage. The dragon then said something in a tongue Varion couldn't quite understand, though it sounded like it shouted "FUS RO DAH!". As the words left its mouth, Varion and the executioner were sent flying away from the chopping block. He rolled along the ground, grunting as the impact bruised him. He managed to get to his feet after shaking his head. His hands were still bound, the town was in flames, and a goddamn dragon was now flying around tearing up the place. Varion bowed his head and groaned.

"Give me a break…"

* * *

A/N:Hey everyone, welcome to the new main story on my account. This is the tale of Varion, a nord hero who also happens to be Dragonborn. I'll be covering basically the entire game, plus a couple arcs I've made up myself. Leave constructive criticism on how I can improve and be sure to let me know your thoughts on the story so far! Next chapter will cover the second half of Unbound and then he'll be in the world of Skyrim. If you want to see Varion tackle a specific thing in Skyrim soon, leave it in your review and I will see if he can do it! I'm not fully sticking to the games story, I'm taking my creative freedom with it, but I will try be lore friendly.

A couple of notes, I will be posting all dragon language used and their translations down here for conveniences sake.

Fus Ro Dah - Force, Balance, Push (Unrelenting Force)

Also, whenever _"Italics" _are used, Varion, or the character in question, is thinking.

X-X-X-X-X This is a paragraph break

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	2. Unbound 2 - Escape From The Keep

**Previously on "The Legend of Varion"...**

Varion nearly got his head cut off, but then a dragon swooped down, distracted the guards and saved him from the axe! Hurray! Now the dragons flying around and torching the entire village to the ground with Varion still in it! Oh great...

**Now on with the story...**

* * *

"Varion! Time to go!" Varion glanced over at Ralof. Somehow he'd gotten his hands free and was motioning for Varion to come with him. "Come on! The gods won't give us another chance!" Varion nodded and ran behind Ralof. As he did, he noticed the chaos. Flaming meteors were raining down from the sky and all the imperials had bows drawn or magic in use and they were trying to bring down the winged beast. The dragon was torching the whole village with it's flaming breath, but it was far enough away from Varion and Ralof for them to not be in immediate danger. They made their way into an imperial tower and as they got in, Ralof slammed the door. Varion then noticed Ulfric Stormcloak behind the door, also unbound and ungagged. "Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" Ralof asked, his voice in awe of what was happening around him. The jarl gave Ralof a forlorn look.

"Legends don't burn down villages" he replied solemnly. Then he turned his head to the sky as the dragon roared again. "We need to move! Now!" he shouted. Ralof gestured to the stairs.

"Up through the tower! Let's go!" he said. Varion nodded, but before he ran up he looked over at two injured stormcloaks, with a third tending to them.

"Are they gonna make it?" he asked. The stormcloak glanced at him.

"They're hurt but they'll live. Another second out there with that dragon and they'd both be dead." Varion nodded, then proceeded to run up the stairs with Ralof. He saw a stormcloak up the stairs trying to move the rocks that were blocking the staircase. However, the dragon burst through the wall right next to the stormcloak, crushing him under the rocks. Varion dived back and braced against the wall, hoping he was out of sight of the dragon. The beast then roared in what seemed like another language, saying "YOL TOOR SHUL!" As it did, fire streamed from it's mouth and it scorched the inside of the tower on that floor. Varion recoiled from the heat. If the soldier hadn't died from the impact, he was definitely dead now. Thankfully, the dragon flew away. Varion walked up, wincing from the heat of the stones he walked on. He looked out the new hole in the wall and saw the dragon still flying around, causing carnage. Ralof stood next to him, analysing the situation. "See that inn on the other side?" he said, pointing. "Jump through the roof and keep going!" he said.

"Are you sure Ralof? What about you?" Varion asked. Ralof grimaced.

"Go! We'll follow when we can!" At this, Varion hesitated no longer. He lept through the roof, performing a safety roll as best he could with his hands bound. The impact was pretty hard, but he was mostly fine. Varion stood up and ran down the stairs. He was really getting sick of these bonds. As he left the inn, or what was left of it, he saw Hadvar and another man taking cover behind a small stone wall. They were talking to a kid who was sitting in the road next to a wounded man.

"Hamming!" Hadvar shouted. "You need to get over here, now!" The boy reluctantly stood and ran over to him. "That-a-boy, you're doing great!" Hadvar reassured. However, as the boy was running, he tripped, landing on his face. As he did, the dragon soared to the ground and landed right behind the wounded man. Varion ran forward and grabbed the kid by the back of his clothes.

"You've gotta move kid!" As he said this, he threw the kid over to Hadvar. The boy landed pretty hard, but he was out of danger for now. Varion dived behind the cover just as he heard the dragon roar in that language, and as he predicted, fire came from the dragons mouth, incinerating the injured man.

"Gods! Everyone get back!" Hadvar shouted, retreating further behind cover. "Still alive Varion? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way!" he said.

"How about you start with these damn things on my hands?" Varion complained. Hadvar ignored him.

"Gunnar, take care of the boy! I have to find general Tullius and join the defence!" As he said that, Hadvar unsheathed his sword and began running towards a narrow gap between a wall and a house that was mostly untouched by dragon fire. Varion had no choice but to follow. "Stay close to the wall!" he commanded. Varion followed his advice. The dragon then landed on the wall in front of them, blasting fire into the ruins of an already destroyed house.

"Give me a break, can he quit it with the fire?" Varion complained.

"I have to say, it's getting annoying" Hadvar agreed. The pair ran through the house dodging the flames and they saw Tullius standing with a group of mages who were trying to bring down the dragon with no success.

"Hadvar! Into the keep soldier, we're leaving!" Tullius shouted. Varion had half a mind to call him a coward, but his appreciation for common sense overcame his inbuilt appreciation for honour.

"It's you and me Varion! Stay close!" Hadvar replied before taking off to another area in the village. Varion looked at Tullius.

"I don't suppose I can get an apology for nearly cutting my head off?" Varion snarked at Tullius. His wisecrack was met with a face of disbelief by Tullius.  
"RUN YOU IDIOT!" he screamed. Varion saw the dragon go for another fly by along Helgens wall, scorching the battlement in the process.

"_Well, this is a pretty good sign for me to run"_. Varion took off sprinting after Hadvar, knowing that the longer he spent in the open was more chance of him dying. As he followed the imperial, he saw Ralof run out as well and he and Hadvar stopped, facing each other.

"Ralof, you damn traitor! Outta my way!" Hadvar growled. Ralof snorted.

"We're escaping Hadvar! You're not stopping us this time!" he retorted. Varion rolled his eyes.

"SHUT UP! If you're done arguing, we're all about to die!" Varion shouted. His voice was loud and deep, and Ralof and Hadvar both went silent to glance at him. Hadvar grunted.

"Fine! Ralof, I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!" After this, he ran towards a door into the keep, gesturing for Varion to follow.

"You, come on! Into the keep!" Ralof shouted as he ran to a different way in. Varion glanced between the two, then back to the dragon. He saw him snatch a soldier up in his claws and drop the man. He fell at least 100 feet, he had no chance of surviving and Varion saw his broken body land on the ruins of Helgens wall. Varion looked back to the two soldiers he could follow and made his choice. He saw the dragon come back for another pass and he sprinted over to the door, practically leaping through it. As he did, Hadvar slammed the door behind them and locked it, both of them breathing heavily.

X-X-X-X-X

"Looks like we're the only ones who made it. Was that really a dragon? The bringers of the end times?" Hadvar asked, sounding shocked now that they could afford to take a breath. Varion breathed to try and slow his heartbeat.

"I don't know anything else it could be. Big, black, scaly, nearly unstoppable. That sounds like a dragon to me". Hadvar grimaced at Varions confirmation of what he already knew.

"Damn it, we should keep moving. Now, let's get your hands free" he said, pulling out a dagger. Varion held out his arms and Hadvar severed the bonds. Varion stretched his arms, relishing the freedom of movement he had again. "Take a look around Varion, you'll need some gear if we're going to make it out of here. I'm going to see if I can find something for these burns of mine" Hadvar said, already rummaging through a chest. Varion did the same, and he found some light imperial armour. It wouldn't have been his first choice, but it would have to do. He pulled it on, adjusting it to fit. He took the key that also was in the chest along with the imperial light boots. He looked down at his new armour.

"I don't suppose you'd know where my old armour and weapons were?" Varion asked over his shoulder as he found an imperial light helmet in another chest. Hadvar turned around.

"The gear was all being kept on a cart in the caravan that brought you here. It would've gone up in flames with the dragon attack. I'm sorry" he said and Varion groaned.

"Good grief, that was some good stuff, all wasted…" he muttered tiredly. It didn't really matter, he could find more weapons, but he mourned the loss of the sword he carried. There were memories associated with that blade, some good, some bad and he was sad to lose them. He pulled two iron swords off a wall rack. They weren't very sharp and the quality was subpar, but he supposed it was better than no weapon. He sheathed them both at his belt. He did one last scan around the room, finding a few gold pieces which he took. He'd need them once he got out of this hellhole.

"You done?" Hadvar asked. The man now had a bandage wrapped around his left bicep. Varion had seen it looking a little charred. He nodded in response and the soldier pulled a chain on the wall. "Let's find a way out of here then" he said. The two ran down the stone hallways on the keep until they came to another gate. Varion heard voices on the other side.

"We need to get moving! That dragon is tearing up the whole keep!" one said urgently. A female voice responded, sounding tired.

"Just give me a minute, I'm out of breath." Hadvar pulled the chain, then turned to Varion.

"Hear that? Stormcloaks. Maybe we can reason with them". The gate opened and the pair of them walked through. "Hold on now, we only want to-" Hadvar was cut off by the stormcloaks siezing their weapons and charging.

"Imperial dogs!" the girl screamed. Varion rolled his eyes. He wanted to correct her, but he figured that wearing all imperial armour and being in the company of an imperial made his chances of talking his way out of this miniscule at best. He drew his blades and gestured for them to come at him. The man attacked Hadvar whilst the girl focused her attention on Varion. She carried a warhammer and wore Stormcloak armour with fur gauntlets and boots. She swung the hammer, but it was a sloppy swing. She wasn't kidding when she said she was out of breath. Varion quickly stepped back to dodge the sideways swing, then stepped forward again and swung his left blade and it cut into her right arm, causing her to cry out in pain and turn to her right, or Varions left. While she was distracted, he sidestepped to the right and kicked the back of her knee, forcing her to kneel. While she was still dazed, he swung crossed his blades into an X shape so her neck was in the middle and he swung out with all his strength, severing her head despite the unsharp swords. He pushed her body over and turned to Hadvar, The soldier was doing well. He shield-bashed his attacker to disrupt the enemies sideways battleaxe swing before driving his noticeably sharpened imperial sword straight through the mans mouth before slicing upwards, cleaving his head in half. "I was hoping that wouldn't be necessary" Varion said. Hadvar shrugged.

"They made their choice and attacked first. We don't have time to feel mercy here, the keep could come down at any minute". Varion nodded in agreement, then made his way over to the stormcloak corpses. He stripped the male one of his gloves and put them on his own hands, flexing his fingers as he did. They would offer minimal protection, but minimal was better than none at all. He also took the battleaxe off the ground where it's former owner had dropped it and placed it on his back. With two swords at his side and a massive axe on his back, Varion was beginning to look like an armoury.

"Well Hadvar, let's keep going. This might take a while".

X-X-X-X-X

Unfortunately, Varion was right with that prediction. They fought their way through 2 more stormcloak soldiers before making their way into an old storeroom, where there were 3 more enemies waiting for them. "Give me a break" Varion muttered as he sliced a stormcloaks arm off before doing the same to his head. "Couldn't the dragon have killed more of the unfriendly people?" His complaints would accomplish nothing, but he often muttered sarcastic remarks aloud to himself, it was his small way of self amusement. Of course, Hadvar was there to smirk at his remarks and while Varion wasn't trying to become a comedian or a jester, he liked having someone to fight at his side. It was pleasant not having to constantly watch his back because now someone else could protect his blind spot while he did the same for them. He hadn't had that kind of companionship in a while. After taking some potions from the storeroom, the pair ran downstairs into a dark room with cages.

"The torture rooms" Hadvar muttered. "Gods, I wish we didn't need these…" he muttered. Varion snarled in disapproval. Torture was one of the things he disliked most. He'd dealt pain to bandits to get information sure, but keeping them prisoner, inflicting pain day in and day out, he felt it was immoral, especially as most torturers were sadistic bastards. He saw an old hooded man who he assumed was the torturer casting a shock spell, desperately trying to keep an attacking stormcloak man at bay whilst a younger man wrestled with a stormcloak woman. Varion rolled his eyes and rushed into the fray, shoulder charging the man over. He straddled his new opponent and punched him in the face before the enemy could react. By the feeling of the punch, he could tell that his enemies nose was broken. He noticed a dagger lying on a table nearby, and he grabbed it before quickly slitting the stunned stormcloaks throat. He got up and clicked his neck, turning his attention to the woman, but Hadvar and the younger soldier had killed her already.

"You fellows happened along just in time. These ruffians were a bit upset at how I've been entertaining their comrades" the torturer spoke. Varion turned his back to him and began searching the stormcloaks for anything valuable.

"Don't you even know what's going on? A dragon is attacking Helgen!" Hadvar said with agitation in his voice. Clearly he didn't like the man either.

"A dragon? Please, don't mak-"  
"Hadvar, give me some lockpicks. There's some guy in this cage and that stuff looks valuable." Varion spoke up, ignoring the old man. Hadvar glanced over and saw a mage in one of the empty cages. He shrugged and handed Varion a handful of 12 lockpicks. Varion nodded in thanks and got to work. The torturer went red in the face.

"You upstart! You think you can just come down here and take m-" Before he finished, Varion had the cage open. He walked inside and stripped the mage down, taking all his gear and gold as well as the spellbook lying on the cage floor. He read it and felt the knowledge of a new spell flow into him as the book turned to ash. The benefit of spell tomes was their ability to instantly impart knowledge onto the reader. The downside was that even though they taught you how to cast them, you still needed to practice them and train them for more power, plus the book would destroy itself soon after. The torturer was getting angry now. "I will have my resp-"

"Come on Hadvar. I'm done". Varion was already walking out the door. Hadvar grinned at the torturer and followed, and the mans assistant shrugged and followed Hadvar, leaving the very red pissed off torturer all alone.

X-X-X-X-X

The journey out was no easier. As Varion parried a sword slash before driving his own blade through his attackers stomach, he noted that having two companions wasn't worth much when facing around 10 enemies. Thankfully, Hadvar was skilled and and the assistant was no slouch either. The three of them killed all the men in the room within a minute, largely thanks to some spilt oil and Varions flames spell. He could cast some very basic magic, fire and healing were practically mandatory in the cold reaches of the wilderness, so he'd learnt them at a young age from his mother. After this stage, the torturers assistant bid farewell to Hadvar and Varion and they continued fleeing the cave. After a run in with giant spiders and a fierce encounter with a bear, the two finally saw daylight at the end of the cave passage. Varion was now carrying a long bow he'd taken from Hadvar, a dagger he'd kept from the torture room and he sported a new Iron helmet he'd gotten from the bear cave. He looked pretty ridiculous, carrying around far more weapons than any one man needed, but he was going to need stuff to sell once he made it to a town somewhere. He swore he'd heard Hadvar chuckle when he'd struggled to fit the bow on his person alongside all his other weapons, but a quick glare had shut him up. He walked out of the cave and shielded his eyes from the daylight. He took a deep breath and looked around. The surroundings were beautiful. A river was close by and across it was a mountain with what looked like Nordic Ruins on it. This was the first proper chance he'd had to look around his homeland upon his return, and he was loving it. Hadvar walked out behind him, but then glanced to the sky with terror on his face. "Wait! Look there!" he cried and ducked behind a rock. Varion glanced at where he looked and saw the dragon from Helgen fly overhead. It flew towards the mountain, straight over the nordic ruins and into the horizon.

"Get lost bastard!" Varion shouted after it, though only after he assumed it was out of earshot. Hadvar tilted his head to one side, clearly confused as to why Varion would be so brash towards the beast that nearly killed them both.

"Well, if you're done, I think I have a plan. That dragon seems to be gone, but I don't think we should hang around in case he comes back". Varion nodded in agreement, he wasn't keen to fight that beast. "I think we need to get to Riverwood, it's the closest town from here. My uncle works as a blacksmith there, I'm sure he'd help you out" Hadvar continued, beginning to walk down the trail. Varion shrugged.

"Sure, I'll come with. I'm keen to ditch this gear anyways. Too many stormcloaks attacking me" he joked. Hadvar then turned to look at Varion, but he kept walking.

"You know, if you wanted, you could join up with the legion properly, help stop the stormcloaks for good. Bring peace back to Skyrim?" he asked. Varion tilted his head.

"I've been meaning to ask, what the hell is all this business with the stormcloaks? I was in Cyrodil for a few years, I come back and my country is tearing itself apart? Fill me in would you?" he said. Hadvar sighed.

"You know the great war back 30 years ago?" Varion nodded. Only an idiot wouldn't have heard of that war that nearly crumbled the empire and ensured Thalmor rule over all Tamriel. "Well, as you probably know, that war was ended thanks to a treaty known as the "White Gold Concordat". A fancy name for a piece of paper that brought about peace, but left the Thalmor with far more to gain. They banned the worship of Talos. As you can imagine, that hit a sore spot with some nords". Varion grimaced. While he himself wasn't that religious, he still had respect for the gods, and he knew that Talos was revered as the hero of all Nords in Skyrim. If Talos worship was banned…

"_Good grief, no wonder these guys are so riled up"_ Varion thought.

"One of the jarls, Ulfric Stormcloak took it extra bad. I'll spare some details, but he rode up to Solitude to speak to high king Torygg. He challenged the king, and, well… he shouted him to death" Hadvar continued. At this, Varion snapped his head around.

"Shouted?" he asked curiously, a faint memory

"That's right an ancient power used by old nordic heroes, though sadly you don't need to be a hero to learn it" Hadvar explained. "Ulfric killed the king, then he fled the city. Since then, he and his supporters, the stormcloaks, have been fighting to drive the empire out of Skyrim, and by extension, the Thalmor. Bring nord lands back under the control of the nords, or at least that's what they say. Really, Ulfric just wants to be high king of Skyrim". Varion pondered this. He could understand the fury of the nords at some elves having so much control over them, especially with the banning of Talos, and also seeing as he himself already hated the Thalmor He also had his doubts.

"But Skyrim can't stand against the dominion alone. There's no way" Varion said, and he knew it was true. The thalmor controlled several nations and had a powerful army, a bunch of nord rebels couldn't hope to throw them out.

"That's exactly right" Hadvar agreed. "That's why the empire needs all the help it can get to quell the rebellion. With skyrim still part of the empire, the empire has strength. If the thalmor attack again, Skyrim and the empire will need each other. Ulfric just doesn't see that…" Hadvar muttered. Varion pondered this.

"I'll consider joining up, but I'm gonna need time to think it over. I'm not keen on working for the guys who nearly killed me". Contrary to his expectations, Hadvar nodded.

"Of course. If I were in your shoes, I'd take a while to warm up to the legion after that introduction. But I think you'll see that the empire is Skyrim's best hope for peace right now" he said. He sighed, then added, "Come on, we should get to Riverwood before dark". Varion glanced at the sun. By his estimate, it was about 4:30. There were only a few hours left before the sun would set. He nodded and trudged off next to Hadvar.

"Hey, I appreciate your help in the keep, but after we meet your uncle, I think I'll be going off on my own for a while. I've got stuff to do here" he said. Hadvar simply nodded and kept walking, his hand falling to his sword as he heard the howl of wolves. As the pack descended, Varion punched one in the side of the face, knocking it's teeth all out of alignment. Whilst his body was in a fight, he was distracted for his mind was racing with ideas, with possibilities. Having freedom in Skyrim tends to add a lot to your potential to do list.

* * *

A/N: Quick update for the win! Don't expect it too often after this...

So, now that (like we do every playthrough) Varion has made it through Helgen, endless possibilities have opened up to him in Skyrim. This is when your suggestions can start to shape the order of his journey. Now that I've made it through this opening drag, here's some more info on the series.

-I will not be sticking with regular dialogue. This is my character, and my conversations will shape how I believe they would with his personality. However, I will be using direct quotes from the game if I believe they suit the situation well enough.

-The story will deviate from Skyrim's set story in some ways, largely in the later arcs of the story. I feel this isn't too bad because after all, this is my character. His journey would proceed differently to other dragonborns. You'll have to wait and see how that pans out.

-I will be adding in OC's once in a while. There won't be many, but when they're there, they will be important.

WIth all that said, thanks a lot for reading this new chapter and I will see you guys in the next exciting part in the Legend of Varion!

Dragon Language

Yol Toor Shul - Fire, Inferno, Sun (Fire Breath)


	3. Before the Storm 1 - Friends and Enemies

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion escaped Helgen with the help of the imperial soldier Hadvar, overcoming stormcloaks, spiders, bears and annoying old men. He now has his freedom to do what he wishes in Skyrim. With the threat of dragons still looming over his head, he and Hadvar decided to travel to Riverwood in order to plan their next move...

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

Varion flexed his shoulders as he left the riverwood trader. He was adjusting to the weight of his new steel armour, and while it was relatively heavy, he was far more comfortable in this than in light armour. Besides, thanks to his strength, it really didn't slow him down too much. After he and Hadvar had met with Alvor, Varion had been asked to go to the Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf, in order to ask for more soldiers to protect Riverwood in the case of dragon attack. Varion had agreed to do it, figuring he owed them this much, plus they had let him take nearly anything from their house that he needed. His coin purse was significantly heavier as a result, he now carried over 500 septims. He'd also gotten permission to use Alvors forge and had used that privilege to forge some new gear. He'd learned smithing back during his childhood and early teen years and he'd gotten better at it over time, though he'd hardly call himself a master blacksmith. He now wore full body Steel armour with iron gauntlets, boots and helmet. He'd donned the helmet reluctantly, he felt the horns were ridiculous and when he took it off, his black hair had looked dreadful. He'd received some teasing from Alvors daughter about that. However, having stupid hair was better than having a cut off head, so he donned the helmet again. He'd also taken the chance to sell all his unneeded burdens at the Riverwood trader. Whilst doing so he'd also agreed to get a "golden claw" back for some merchant called Lucan Valerius in exchange for a hefty amount of gold. As he was leaving, he heard some raised voices coming from the direction of the mill. Being in a curious mood, he walked over to investigate. As he got closer, he found that the speakers were a wood-elf and a nord he'd seen before called Sven. "Give it up Faendal. Camilla is my woman. You're kidding yourself if you think you have a chance" Sven sneered at the elf. Faendal, as was apparently his name, frowned before retorting.

"As if a smart and beautiful woman like her would obsess over a buffoon like you!" he snapped back before storming off. Varion sighed and adjusted his helmet. He'd heard rumours about a supposed "love triangle" in Riverwood, and it would appear that he found the culprits. Sven was walking over, so he figured he could ask about it for curiosity's sake, seeing as he already knew the man from a brief conversation they'd had when he first entered Riverwood the day before.

"Hey, Sven!" he called. The blonde nord turned back to him. "What was that about?" Sven scoffed.

"That Faendal thinks he can woo Camilla Valerius away from me. She's already mine I keep telling him, but the elf is as stubborn as a nord" he sneered. "I've seen him visiting the riverwood trader to see her. Ha! He's wasting his time!" he finished. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Yes, two people spending time together never blossoms into courtship…" he deadpanned. Sven returned the eye-roll.

"Varion, was it? Your sarcasm could use some work." He sighed. "Still, you may have a point. Faendal being invited to see Camilla isn't good news for me". Varion tilted his head.

"So, you gonna do something about it?" Sven suddenly brightened up.

"Yes actually! Would you do me a favour?" Varion shrugged, more gold couldn't hurt. Sven continued. "Here, this is a letter filled with a whole bunch of venomous nonsense. Give that to Camilla, say it's from Faendal. That'll get her to stop hanging out with the elf!" he declared. Varion was surprised by this and he took the letter reluctantly, reading it over as he did.

"_Is this guy serious about this?" _he thought in disbelief. It was one of the stupidest plans he'd ever heard. "So, you're going to smear Faendal's name? Instead of, I don't know, trying to actually win over Camilla?" he asked. Sven looked at him with a foul expression.

"Sometimes a little underhanded tactics can go a long way. Now, get going to Camilla! I'll have some gold ready for you once you give it to her" Sven said, waving Varion off. Varion frowned, then headed in the direction of the trader.

"_Yeah, underhanded tactics can go a long way,"_ he thought to himself.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion left Riverwood a few minutes later, but he wasn't alone as he walked. Faendal walked behind him, keeping pace rather easily. The elf and Varion could now be considered friends thanks to a little stunt he pulled. Varion had given Camilla the letter, but he'd chosen to reveal that Sven was the one who wrote it, not Faendal. "_It wasn't really a tough choice. I hate stuck up pricks, and he seems to be one of the worst I've seen"_ Varion thought while reflecting on his decision. This had enraged Camilla and greatly altered her opinion of the bard. Upon telling this to Faendal, Varion had gotten a few pieces of gold and a new travelling buddy. Faendal had been more than happy to pay him a favour after his small act. "_Sometimes it pays to take interest in other people's problems" _Varion thought to himself. "_Especially if you get some new allies out of it"_ he continued with an internal smirk. He appreciated the elfs eagerness to come along, he appreciated having someone to watch his back after all these years and the elf, if he was as good as he claimed, was a skilled shot with a bow. Archery wasn't really Varions area of expertise, he only considered his skills above average. Thus, he thought this would be a good trait for an ally to have. They walked down the cobbled road leading to Whiterun, occasionally conversing about meaningless stuff, like Faendal's hunting exploits or how many beasts Varion had killed in his life. However, they eventually happened across a group of 3 imperials escorting a nord in rags with his hands bound. "Imperials…" Varion muttered. He knew that he'd promised Hadvar to consider his offer, but he was still pretty bitter about nearly dying.

"Citizen, move along. You're interfering with imperial business!" one of the soldiers snapped as Varion stood in his way. He narrowed his eyes.

"Oh shut up" he muttered as he walked past the imperial officers. He wasn't in a mood to pick a fight today, at least not yet. Besides, there were three against two and Varion wasn't sure if Faendal would still help him against these imperials unless they hit first. The soldier glared at Varions back, but they still proceeded forwards without stopping. Varion breathed out. "If I'm gonna fight for these guys, they're gonna need to cool it with their stuck up attitude…" he muttered. He glanced back at Faendal. "Hey Faendal, what are your thoughts on the war?" he asked.

"Well, as a Bosmer, or just an elf in general, I don't really have much choice but to support the empire" he replied with a level of bitterness. Varion tilted his head, implying that he wanted an elaboration. Faendal glanced around. "The nords aren't too friendly to elves as it is, but those stormcloaks take it to a new level. Ever heard the war cry, 'Skyrim belongs to the nords'?" Varion nodded, he'd heard some of the stormcloaks shout it as they attacked him back in the keep. Faendal continued. "Yeah, you can probably tell that they aren't fond of anyone who isn't a nord. Empire leaves Skyrim, I don't even want to know how the stormcloaks will treat my people" he said, glancing downwards. Varion sighed.

"Damn it. First they're threatening to bring the Thalmor down on Skyrim, and now I learn they're racist? These guys really aren't making it hard for me to hate them" he muttered, mainly to himself but Faendal still heard it. "Don't worry about me, I judge people on what they do, not what they are" he finished, and continued walking. Behind him, Faendal smiled at that.

**X-X-X-X-X**

After a while more of walking, they could see Whiterun in the distance. It was a pretty impressive city, Varion had to admit that. Strong walls and he could see what looked like the main palace even from miles away. However, to get to it he'd have to pass by several farms, so his feet weren't gonna get any rest for a little bit longer. He and Faendal trudged on, passing by some guards along the way. They didn't exchange words, but he gave the guards a respectful nod. He figured that he'd better make a good first impression or he'd be in trouble before he even got into the city. Just as Varion was starting to get bored of walking past the farms, he heard a battle cry and a significant thump. He glanced in the direction of the noise and saw a giant fighting three warriors. The giant was riddled with arrows and it's swings were rather slow and clumsy, so it was clearly on the losing side. One of the warriors, wielding a shield and dagger, slashed at the giants ankles. Predictably, this did nothing more than irritate the colossus and he backhanded at her. She had her shield up to deflect the blow, but she was still thrown from her feet and she crashed into a fence.  
"Ria!" the archer woman cried out with concern.

"I'll be fine Aela!" Ria shouted back, though pain in her voice. Varion rolled his eyes, then drew one of his one handed swords and charged forward to help, vaulting over the fence.

_"This sure as hell beats more walking!"_ he thought with some excitement. He saw an arrow fly over his head and lodge itself in the giants shoulder, so Faendal had started firing. The giant was now focused on a heavily armoured warrior with a greatsword, giving Varion the distraction he needed. He wasn't stupid enough to fight a giant head on. Varion quickly drove his sword into the back of the giants calf and blood poured from the wound. The giant roared and swung his club around, but Varion dived between its legs to get out of attack range. He briefly saw a woman with a bow take aim and suddenly an arrow wedged itself in the back of the giants head. The greatsword guy slashed with his sword and drove it deep into the giant's thigh, nearly taking it off. He drew back and swung again, cleaving straight through the bone and severing the limb. The giant fell to the ground and Varion climbed on top of it. He plunged his blade into the back of it's neck before pulling it out and doing the same move to the back of its head. The giant groaned in agony before it finally went limp and died, blood flooding out of it's injuries. Varion breathed a sigh of relief. He'd only tangled with a giant once before and that fight had ended with him running away in panic from the enraged beast and two mammoths, they were powerful creatures. He noticed the woman with a bow, Aela, walking over, inspecting the corpse. "You handle yourself well, you could make for a decent shield brother. " she said with some admiration. "I'm Aela, good to meet you," she added, offering her hand. Varion tilted his head.

"I'm Varion, likewise" he replied, shaking the offered hand. "What's a shield brother?" he asked.

"So you're new to Whiterun? Never heard of the companions?" Varion shrugged.

"I've heard of Ysgramor and his 500 companions, powerful warriors. That's about as far as my knowledge goes". She nodded.

"Well, the modern day companions are an order of warriors. A shield sibling is like your brother or sister in honour. We show up to solve problems in Skyrim, in exchange for coin." Varion gave it a few seconds of thought.

"Sounds worthwhile. Can I join?" he asked. Aela shook her head.

"It's not for me to say. You'd have to talk to our harbinger, Kodlak Whitemane in Jorrvaskr, right inside Whiterun. The old man's got a good sense for people. He can look into your eyes and see your worth". Varion shrugged.

"Sure, I'll talk to him. I guess I'll be seeing you around" he said, then gestured to Faendal to follow him. The pair walked off as the companions watched them go. As he passed by the fence, Varion glanced over at the warrior who'd been knocked into it. She was just starting to climb her way out of it as she was pretty beaten up. "Hey, you ok?" Varion asked. Ria nodded her head and gestured with a thumbs up.

"Not the worst pain I've had since I joined up. I'll just visit the temple, pick up a potion. It'll get me back in fighting shape in no time!" she said, enthusiasm in her voice. Varion grunted (in as nice a way as he could) and continued walking off.

"Well, someone's making friends fast" Faendal commented. Varion shrugged.

"When it comes to being in Skyrim, you have to carve your own path. The companions could be a good start to it" he replied. Faendal nodded in acknowledge, he could kind of relate to Varions mindset. "Besides, it sounds like my kind f

**X-X-X-X-X**

After some quick dealings with a resting Khajiit caravan, Varion approached the city gates. However, the guard posted there stepped forward. "Halt! The city's closed with the dragons about! If you don't have official business, turn around and go!" he declared. Varion tilted his head.

"Well, I've got news about the dragon attack on Helgen. Does that count?" he asked somewhat sarcastically. The guard seemed to ponder it for a moment.

"Fine, go on in, but we'll keep our eyes on you" he threatened. Varion scoffed.

"Well, I'm flattered, but that won't be necessary," he said as he walked past the guard and through the city gates into Whiterun. Varion breathed in and examined the sights. The city seemed big enough, there was a blacksmith to his immediate right with what looked like an inn on his left. There seemed to be an argument going on outside the blacksmith shop, so he headed over to it. "_The last time I listened in on an argument I got a new companion. Maybe I'll get something from this too"_ he thought to himself, though he knew how unrealistic his hope was. As he got closer, he started to pick up on the topic.

"Look Adrianne, we're willing to pay whatever it takes, but we've got to have more swords for the imperials!" the first guy said. He was a nord with blond hair, a stupid looking beard and wearing imperial light armour. The other participant was a redguard woman with a blacksmiths attire on and she seemed pretty agitated.

"I'm just not sure I can fill such a massive order by myself!" she replied. "Why don't you swallow that stubborn pride of yours and ask Eorlund Grey-Mane for help?" The man scoffed.

"Really? I'd rather bow to Ulfric Stormcloak!" Varion sighed. Nord pride was something he was very familiar with, and more often than not it was a hindrance. He knew all about being too stubborn for your own good. "Besides, that idiot would never make steel for the legion!" he finished. Adrianne rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I'll take the job. Don't expect a miracle though" she replied. The nord nodded, but then he turned to Varion.

"Hey, you! What are you looking at?" he asked accusingly. Varion rolled his shoulders subconsciously.

"I heard an argument. If you were hoping to have your conversation kept secret, you failed at that" he replied sharply. The nord narrowed his eyes.

"Answer me this stranger, Grey-Mane or Battle-Born?"

"What?" Varion had literally no idea what he was talking about.

"You deaf? I'll ask again. Grey-Mane, or Battle-Born?" he repeated. Behind him, Adrianne sighed.

"Idolaf, don't drag every newcomer to whiterun into your families little squabbles" she said, but he wasn't listening. As for Varion, he was still confused.

"I don't know what you're asking," he said, half tempted to just leave.

"Whiteruns got two clans, Grey-Mane and Battle-Born. Long story short, the Battle-Borns stayed loyal to the empire once the civil war started, while the Grey-Manes are a family of traitors" Idolaf explained. Varion nodded, but he really didn't care about some feud born from the war. It just added to his desire to end the damn thing. "I'll ask one more time, Grey-Mane, or, Battle-Born?" he asked, adding extra emphasis to the two choices. Varion rolled his eyes.

"I'll go with my third option. Not giving a damn. Now move" he said, moving around Idolaf. The Battle-Borns face filled with anger and he moved to block Varion.

"I'd watch your tongue outsider. You don't seem to get who you're speaking to!" he growled, trying to threaten Varion. Secretly, Varion was hoping that this guy would take a swing at him, he was still fairly hyped up from the giant fight and he had extra energy to burn. However, he'd learned not to go starting fights for no good reason after a couple incidents back in Cyrodil, so he decided to try settle it verbally.

"Neither do you. I'll say it one more time Battle-Born. I'm not picking sides. Now, move" he said with no discernable emotion in his voice. For a second, Varion thought Idolaf was going to take a swing at him right there and then and he'd get his wish, but the anger went from his face and left a scowl where it was.

"You'd better watch how you speak to the important people in this city. Could have unfortunate consequences" he said and stormed off. Varion turned to Adrianne.

"Is he always this much of a prick?" he asked nonchalantly. Adrianne gave a humourless laugh.

"Money and power will do that to a man. Those two clans have been at each other's throats for years" she said. Varion adjusted his helmet.

"Give me a break. I was hoping for a peaceful city" he sighed. He then glanced at her forge. "I take it you're the resident blacksmith?" he asked half rhetorically.

"Astute observation" she replied. "But you're only half right. You heard me mention Eorlund Grey-Mane earlier, right?" Varion nodded. "Well, he's the best blacksmith in Skyrim. He works the skyforge, makes weapons for the companions. One day, I hope to be as good as him…" she said wistfully. Varion glanced at a greatsword on a rack behind her.

"That your work? Mind if I try it out?" he asked. She nodded and he took it off the rack, taking the time to twirl it around a bit. "Huh. Not a bad blade. You making these for the legion?" She shook her head.

"No, I made that blade especially for the jarl. It's a surprise gift I made for him. I don't even know if he'll accept it, but-" He could tell she was nervous about this, understandably so.

"Only one way to find out" Varion said. Adrianne relaxed a bit. Varion gave the sword a few test swings. "I'm gonna guess the Jarl is in the palace at the top of the city?" he asked. Adrianne nodded.

"Aye, that's Dragonsreach, you'll find Balgruuf in there" she confirmed. Varion glanced back at the sword.

"If you want, I can drop the sword up at the palace for you seeing as I'm going there anyway," he offered. Adrianne was taken aback. The same guy who had nearly started a fight with Idolaf Battle-Born was now offering to run this trivial task for her.

"Sure, if you wouldn't mind. That'd be great! Drop it off to my father, the steward. He'll know when the time is right to present it" she said enthusiastically. Varion nodded, offering her a small smile before placing the weapon onto the second sheath he had on his back. He was starting to look like a walking armoury again, he really needed a better way to carry all this stuff.

"Well, nice meeting you Adrianne. If I need something forged, I'll call back again" he said. She frowned at this.

"I just told you that Eorland was a better smith than I. Why would you-" she began asking, but Varion waved off the question.

"I've seen your steel, I haven't seen his. At least I know you actually have talent" he finished before walking off. "Come on Faendal" he called to the elf who had been picking some flowers growing around the shop. "Why are you picking flowers?" he asked as they walked away.

"Well, I thought they would make a nice gift for Camilla when I get back" Faendal reasoned. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Well, someone's lovesick" he joked. Faendal scowled and put the flowers in his bag before following along. The pair walked through the marketplace and into some area of the city that had a circular path that went around a big tree. Varion noted that the tree was very dead looking, not something he would've put so much focus on in a city he built. However, there were barely any people, the sun was beginning to set so everyone was in a hurry to get home. They rushed past Varion, not that he was interested in more conversation at the moment anyways. He began to climb the steps and soon, the Jarl's palace loomed in front of him. "Bigger than I expected," he said offhandedly. He then walked forward and pushed open the doors, stepping into the castle.

* * *

A/N:So Varion meets his first few inhabitants of Whiterun making some new friends and potential enemies! The way Varion acts towards someone is based heavily off his first impression, hence why he's nice to Adrianne and dickish to Idolaf (Idolaf totally deserves it though). I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, if you're finding it dull, don't worry, the next chapter will be a little more intense!

So this story is divided up into arcs or parts of some sort. The first arc Unbound and it consisted of the first two chapters. Now we've begun on a new arc, with new adventures. Hopefully the format isn't too confusing!

Thanks to the people who favourited and followed my story, getting those notifications really encourages me to keep writing this thing!

Thank you guys for all the support and I will see you in the next chapter of "The Legend of Varion"!


	4. Before the Storm 2 - Fighting Spirit

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion left Riverwood with a new friend in Faendal and a new enemy in Sven. He had a run in with a few of the companions and expressed interest in joining their ranks. After a chat with the local town blacksmith, he and Faendal made it to Dragonsreach and prepared to greet the Jarl with their important news…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

Dragonsreach was an impressive structure. The roof was massively high and the palace was even longer than Varion had thought. He walked forward whilst glancing around, keeping his face carefully neutral despite the awe he was feeling inside. He climbed the steps to the higher level of the palace and he saw the Jarl, Balgruuf, at the end of the hall on his throne talking with a man Varion assumed was his steward. He remembered the sword on his back and how he was meant to deliver it. Before he could get close, he noticed a leather armour wearing Dark Elf draw a blade and walk towards him brandishing it. Varions left hand sat on the hilt of his second one handed sword, ready to draw it at a moments notice. "Who are you supposed to be? The Jarl isn't receiving visitors!" the dark elf said. She had an authoritative tone, but she hardly seemed like a noblewoman. A housecarl maybe?

"I come with news from Helgen. A dragons flying around, I happened to be there when it attacked" Varion said. The way this woman carried herself, the enchanted blade, he judged that she knew how to fight. Plus, he was in the Jarls palace. Not the best place to start a brawl, so he attempted to be as placating as possible. Thankfully, her expression lightened.

"Well, that explains why the guards let you in! Come on, the Jarl should hear this directly from you" she said, sheathing her sword and gesturing for Varion to follow. Varion turned back to Faendal and smirked before walking forwards after her. Balgruuf held up his hand to silence the steward before turning to Varion.

"Who's this man Irileth?" he asked.

"He is a survivor from Helgen my Jarl," the dark elf responded. The Jarls brow furrowed.

"So, you saw this dragon yourself?" he asked.

"Yeah, the thing crashed Ulfric's execution. Last I saw it, it was flying this way" Varion reported. He left out the part about him being an escaped prisoner, it didn't seem like an important detail.

"By the gods… The reports were right!" Balgruuf said. "Well Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?" he questioned. Irileth spoke up next.

"My Jarl, we should send out troops to Riverwood. If the dragon attacks, they'll be all but defenceless" she said.

"Helgen was torched. Riverwood wouldn't stand a chance" Varion confirmed.

"Now hold on. We can't just send a massive detachment to Riverwood! We need men to defend the main city, plus a sight like that could be interpreted as a declaration of war. The Jarl of Falkreath would view the troops as a provocation!" Proventus spoke up.

"Oh give me a break…" Varion muttered.

"Your concerns are not unwarranted Proventus, but I will not leave my people to die by dragon attack while I can do something about it!" Balgruuf spoke up with some irritation. The steward bowed his head and Varion could swear he saw Irileth smirk. "Irileth, I want a detachment sent to Riverwood. Maybe an extra six guards, that should be enough to at least organise evacuations, maybe even wound the dragon enough to slow it down".

"Yes my Jarl" she replied, saluting him with what Varion could've sworn was a smirk. She then turned and walked off to carry out her task.

"Now, what's your name traveller?" Balgruuf asked.

"I'm Varion sir" he replied respectfully, seeing as this man was a Jarl. Balgruuf nodded.

"Well Varion, you've done Whiterun a good service by seeking me out. I don't forget people that aid my hold. I'll have Proventus give you some payment later, but first, I must ask another task of you". Varion raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of task?"

"One suited to someone like you. Come, let me introduce you to Farengar, my court wizard" he said, standing up from his throne and walking over to another room on the right side of the palace. Varion turned and followed him, but he motioned for Faendal to wait for him. He joined the Jarl and looked at the court wizard. He wore blue mage robes with a hood on his head, plus he had really stupid looking sideburns, but Varion kept that comment to himself. "Ah, Farengar. I've found a man who might be able to help you out with your dragon project" he said. Farengar turned to Varion and looked him up and down.

"So, the Jarl thinks that you can assist me in my work? You have the look of a brute, so helping me research is likely not what he had in mind" Varion frowned.

"What did yo-"

"Ah, yes. I could use someone to fetch something for me. That must be your job".

"Wait a seco-"

"Well, I say fetch. I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin that should probably contain an ancient stone tablet. But I'm sure you'll be abl-"

"Hang on a damn minute!" Varion all but yelled. He breathed in, calming himself, but this man was a damn pain. He noticed the frowns he got from Farengar, obviously he wasn't used to being interrupted. "Good grief, slow down wizard. You want me to go dungeon diving for a rock that might not even be there?"

"Precisely. It seems like a task suited to a mercenary warrior like yourself". Varion rolled his eyes.

"What does this have to do with dragons?"

"Aha! I see you've found me a thinker, Jarl Balgruuf" Farengar said. Varion wasn't sure how much more of his voice he could stand before losing it. "Well, do you know of the ancient dragon war?" Varion froze. He flashed back to an afternoon from his childhood. His father was telling him a tale as they sat outside their house underneath a tree for shade. His father spoke of an ancient war thousands of years ago, where men had fought against dragonkind to free the land of Skyrim. He had been in awe of his father's story, but he asked if it really happened, seeing as the whole thing sounded like a fairy tale. His father told Varion that strange things were almost never impossible. Varion tore himself out of his flashback before he remembered anything else and returned to Farengar's conversation.

"I've heard vague mentions of it. Nothing more" he replied. The mage nodded.

"I'm not surprised. Even I thought the whole thing was just a myth. But one sure mark of a fool is to label anything that falls outside of his experience as being impossible". Varion was surprised.

"_That was actually a pretty good quote" _he thought, now believing that the wizard might not be completely useless

"Anyways, reports of dragons come in from Helgen and suddenly the whole story didn't sound so crazy. I began to research the creatures. Where did they go? Where did they come from?" he took a breath before continuing. For once he didn't sound overly sarcastic. "In times long since forgotten, dragons ruled over Skyrim. However, the nord warriors fought back against the dragons, eventually freeing themselves from the tyrannical rule of the beasts. The dragons were greatly reduced in number by this, but many survived into historical times. For example, this palace was built to hold a captured dragon" he elaborated. Varion pondered this. A war between men and dragons predating the historical ages. It sounded ridiculous, yet he believed it wholeheartedly.

"So, your stone somehow relates to this?"

"Yes, it's called a dragonstone. It's said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. It was sealed in Bleak Falls Barrow. Any knowledge of the dragons is incredibly valuable in this current day, so retrieval of the map is of the utmost importance" he said.

"So, that's what I'm fetching. How'd you even find this stone?" Varion asked. The mage shifted, looking down at the ground.

"Well, must preserve some professional secrets, right? Let's just say I have my sources. Reliable sources" he said, effectively closing the matter. Varion scoffed.

"Fine. How do I get to this dungeon?"

"Travel to Riverwood, a miserable village a few miles south of here. Talk to the locals. They can probably point you in the right direction" Farengar snarked. Varion sighed.

"I'll be back in a few days with your stone". He turned to Balgruuf. "Will I get some reward from this?"

"Of course, I'll see you are properly thanked for your effort. Anything that could help us against the dragons is the highest priority we have right now" he said. Varion nodded and walked out of the room, signalling to Faendal that the meeting was done. The elf jogged over to him and after giving Adrianne's sword to the steward (the man had struggled to lift the damn thing, much to Varions amusement), they both made their way out of the palace.

"I hope you're not afraid of tombs Faendal" Varion remarked. "We're going into Bleak Falls Barrow".

"That old tomb up the side of the mountain? What for?" he asked, sounding puzzled.

"Some sarcastic wizard wants a rock with some map on it" Varion snarked. "According to him, the stone might not even be there. He's annoying enough, if this is a wild goose chase I'm going to shave his stupid sideburns and slap him" he growled, mostly to himself. He glanced over at Faendal to find an appropriately confused expression on the his face. He waved it off.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just find a place to sleep for the night. We'll leave at dawn". The sun had already set as they walked into the inn. The Bannered Mare was its name, and all in all the place didn't look that bad. Varion had barely made it a few steps before he was greeted by a nord woman.

"Ah, a new face! I'm Hulda, I run the bannered mare. We just stoked the fire, so sit down and we'll get you something to drink". Varion nodded. He sat down at a seat by the counter as Hulda welcomed Faendal back as he'd been there before. As he listened to their conversation about something, he took his gauntlets off and rested them on the bar counter, hoping to just have a quiet night. As with everything else he'd done so far in Skyrim, it couldn't have been that simple.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Faendal sighed as he sat down. He was fairly fit, but he'd been on his feet all day and they were sore. He tossed over a handful of gold and the barmaid passed him and Varion both a bottle of mead. Faendal took a small swig of his mead, though he recoiled slightly at the taste. He was more accustomed to Elven wine, this drink didn't sit well with him. Still, the lightheadedness would be welcome considering tomorrow they were diving into a nordic ruin. Varion had made it clear that Faendal didn't have to come, but he was having none of that. He'd volunteered to fight alongside Varion and that was what he planned to do. He turned to his companion. "You not drinking?" he asked, noting that Varions bottle was untouched. The nord sighed.

"I'm not a big fan of the stuff. Dulls the senses, makes it harder to fight" he said. Faendal tilted his head.

"We're in a bar in the middle of a city with a good wall and plenty of guards. The chances of you needing to fight isn't really that high" he reasoned. Varion shrugged.

"I don't like feeling out of control or weakened. That's all" he said. Faendal opened his mouth to say something else, but Varion silenced him with a hand. "If you're asking because you want the rest of my drink, take it. It's yours" he said, pushing the mead over to Faendal. The elf said nothing. He'd travelled with Varion for pretty much a full day now and he was finding the nord rather interesting. He didn't seem to share the discriminatory traits that Faendal had encountered all too often with nords, and he had done nothing to wrong the elf so far. His personality was also a mystery. One moment he was a few seconds away from starting a fight with Idolaf just because the latter had a bad attitude, the next moment he was volunteering to do a favour for Adrianne, delivering her sword. It wasn't like he had two personalities, in any state he was distinctly still Varion, but it seemed like he didn't refrain from letting people know what he thought of them. He remembered his run in with Sven on the way out of Riverwood that morning.

(flashback)

_Faendal followed behind Varion, looking forward to their trek. He hadn't left Riverwood in about a month since his last hunting trip and he was eager to get out and see the sights. When the nord he'd seen maybe twice before in town over the last 24 hours suddenly came up to him and told him how he'd stopped Sven from smearing his name, it had made his day far more interesting. They'd shaken hands and introduced themselves properly before Varion mentioned his quest. He'd volunteered and without further ado, they became travelling companions. Faendal reflected on how quickly it had all happened, but as they reached the wall, they saw Sven blocking the way, practically shaking his rage. "Varion!" the angry nord yelled. The man in question tilted his head._

"_Something wrong Sven?" he asked. The blonde nord walked up to Varion in fury._

"_What the hell did you do!?" he shouted. Faendal watched in interest, but he discreetly moved his hand towards his dagger._

"_Whatever are you talking about?" Varion asked innocently, though his act wasn't really fooling anyone. Admittedly, Faendal didn't think that was the intention. Sven grabbed Varion by his armour, trying to pull him closer, or at least he would have if Varion wasn't far more muscular and therefore heavier than the bard. All Sven accomplished was pulling himself closer to Varion._

"_You did something to Camilla! She screamed at me to never talk to her again! This is all your fault!" he hissed. Varion smirked._

"_You're the one who wrote the letter" he said snarkily. Faendal gulped. Varion was agitating an already angry nord. This could only end one way._

"_Bastard!" Sven threw a hook at Varion, gripping him with his left hand and throwing a hook with his right. Faendal moved to catch his fist, but Varion was quicker. He seized Svens right hand with his own hand and twisted it outwards, causing the attacker to grimace in pain._

"_What's wrong? Not as tough as you thought?" Varion asked mockingly, twisting the limb further. "I know, how about a choice? You take your hand off me, bow down and go running, or you crawl to the trader with a broken wrist begging for a potion? Which sounds best?" Varion said, his voice gradually getting from mocking to growling with aggression. Faendal frowned. He hated Sven, but he didn't want Varion to break his limbs for such a minor offence. He placed his hand on his companions shoulder, and the man in question glanced to the side. "You want something?" he questioned._

"_Listen Varion, this man may be a stubborn fool, but there's no point in being this violent over something like this. He's not a threat to you, relax" Faendal said, trying to calm his friend. Varion frowned, then sighed. He released his grip on Sven and shoved him so Sven let go of his armour._

"_Get lost. Don't speak to me for at least another month, I've heard enough of your crap" Varion said to Sven, moving past. The nord was panting, either from pain or pure rage. Faendal took a glance at Sven, then prepared to follow Varion, but he noticed Sven lunge for something on the ground. The blonde rose from the ground with a plank of wood the length of a sword and he prepared to throw it at Varion._

"_Damn you!" Sven growled while his arm moved to toss it. Varion turned at the sound of Svens insult, but instead of seeing a plank of wood flying towards him, he saw something else. Faendal had moved to grab Svens arm the second he had raised the wood to throw it. Sven was struggling against Faendal, but the elven hunters strength was too much for the bard. Faendal looked at Varion, and the nord gave him an appreciative smile. He then walked towards Sven and Faendal released his arm. Varion towered over his would-be attacker and grinned fiercely._

"_I believe I told you not to speak to me," he said with an air of levity in his voice. He gave Faendal a glance. Faendal was surprised, he was actually asking his opinion on whether he should retaliate. As far as he was concerned, Sven had attacked Varion twice. He'd brought any consequences upon himself fair and square. He nodded and Varions grin widened. He gave Sven a powerful punch right to the face and knocked him off his feet. Faendal was no healer, but he could tell that the bards nose was broken. "Well now, that takes care of that. You wanna head out?" Varion asked Faendal, already turning away from Sven. Faendal grinned. No matter what happened on their journey, it would certainly never be boring with Varion as a companion._

(end flashback)

Faendal smiled at the memory. He hoped that he'd get to make more like that on this trip, but at the same time, they were lucky that there were no guards nearby when Varion punched him. Sure, Sven had attacked first, but they might have only seen half the story. Faendal took another sip of the mead, wincing as he swallowed it. He was about to ask Varion another question, but then heard a commotion from across the room.

"I already told you no Mikael! Go away!"

"Oh but I can't do that my fair lady. You've already stolen my heart!"

"You'd say that to anything that moves and has a chest!" Looking over, Faendal saw what looked like a blonde nord bard seemingly harassing a nord woman. She was clearly not interested, but the bard wasn't backing off.

"Carlotta, your inner fire is blazing hot and I'm addicted to the heat in this cold harsh land of Skyrim. Let me show you my own flame!" Mikael said, grabbing her wrist as Carlotta tried to leave. Faendal frowned, both at his behaviour and the terrible poetry.

"_What is it with blonde nord bards being womanising imbeciles?" _He pondered.

"Leave me alone!" Carlotta screamed, slapping Mikael, but his grip didn't loosen. Faendal prepared to stand up and sort it out, but he saw movement to his right that made him pause.

"Come on baby! Just one night and you'll see what you're missi-" Before Mikael could even finish that sentence, he was torn away from Carlotta and slammed into a wall, feet dangling off the ground. Faendal grimaced. Of course Varion couldn't have handled it peacefully.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Listen, she doesn't want you. She said no to your pathetic advances, now shut up and respect her choice!" Varion snarled, not releasing his grip on Mikael. He'd been watching the whole thing from his seat by the bar and he, frankly, had seen quite enough already. He was aware that he was attracting a crowd, and technically committing assault, but his temper had boiled over and he was long past caring.

"Unhand me you brute!" Mikael groaned, feebly kicking at Varion. He was far smaller than Varion and based on his breath, he'd already had a fair bit to drink. Varion dropped Mikael and glared at him. He prepared to walk away, but stopped as he heard Mikael mutter something.

"Something you wanna say to me?" Varion growled. He turned around to see the bard had gotten to his feet, but he didn't expect to be punched in the chest.

"I'll show you what a true nord fights like!" Mikael shouted, clearly drunk and enraged. Varion flexed his fingers, this guy was really testing his patience. He glanced over to Faendal as if to say "_See why I don't like alcohol?"_

"I'll give you that one. If you dare to touch me again…" The bard scoffed. "_If you were a little more sober, I'd like to see you have this courage"_ Varion thought in his mind. Mead was an excellent source of bravery, or perhaps stupidity was a better term. He turned his back to his potential enemy, only to then feel a punch land on his back. He regained his balance from the swing, then turned back to Mikael again, who had his hands up in a fighting stance.

"Come on milk drinker, show me what you got!" he slurred. Varion said nothing, but he clenched his fists so tightly that he could swear he was close to drawing blood. The bard took one more swing, smacking Varions face. He went to throw another, but before his hit could even make it halfway to Varion, the much taller and stronger nord had caught his hand before twisting it to the side, making Mikael cry out in pain. Before he could utter a word, Varion grabbed him, picked him up and slammed him onto an empty table, breaking it completely and nearly breaking his opponent as well.

"Shor's beard! A fight!" he heard someone shout and he was aware that a crowd had gathered around. He glanced at Mikael who was groaning in agony, and he shook his head, trying to calm down. However, he was too slow to deflect the next attack that hit him. Mikael had grabbed his Lute that Varion had knocked off the table and had smashed Varion in the face with it. He was big, he was strong, but no man is ever truly prepared to be hit in the head with a musical instrument. He stumbled back, knocking into a nord woman in armour. She grunted, then pushed Varion off.

"It's been too long since I've had a fight! Let's go!" she screamed, raising her fists and jumping into the fray. She threw a punch at Varion who dodged, then elbowed her in the nose, causing her to fall back onto a nord in full iron armour with a nasty battleaxe on his back.

"This fight has gotten out of hand!" he shouted, letting out a battle cry as he joined the fight. Somehow, Mikael was still standing, and he joined in on the brawl again. Varion growled, bared his teeth, and ran back in to continue his battle.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Faendal watched the chaos with a hand over his mouth in disbelief. He would've tried to stop it, but 4 nords all clashing? No way they were gonna calm down. He motioned for the stunned barkeep to hand him another bottle of mead. Maybe being drunk would help deal with this. As he waited for it, he watched Varion. The man was a force to be reckoned with. He threw lightning quick punches that clearly carried great force, and he was hardly limited to just his hands. He used punches, kicks, even elbow and knee strikes. He was clearly a trained fighter, not just a muscle reliant brawler. Mikaels face was bruised beyond belief and he was sure the nord women's armour now had a few dents. Varion had grabbed one of his gauntlets from the bar stool, so his right hand was now punching with the force of a fist of steel. After bashing Mikael away for the 4th time, he ducked under a punch from the armoured male nord before smacking the offending hand to the side and delivering a punch right to his face, knocking a horn off of his iron armour. He twisted back, kicking the woman in the stomach with a solid back kick making her double over, but the iron armour guy had recovered quickly and tackled Varion. He managed to remain on his feet after taking several backsteps, and he grabbed the attacker by the shoulders, forcing him back before driving his knee into his stomach, making the iron armour guy spit up blood, then Varion proceeded to throw him to the side. Faendal was glad that Varion wasn't drunk. Losing control while he had this kind of strength? Gods help anyone who fought that monster. The fight possibly could've gone on, but then guards entered the room. Faendal groaned, this would take time to explain.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" the first guard yelled, and he slammed his shield into the woman's back, knocking her over. He then did the same maneuver to Varion, but the nord had been facing the guard and managed to catch the strike. He locked eyes with the guard, or rather the eyeholes of the guards helmet, sighed and released the shield, stepping back. Faendal breathed a sigh of relief, at least he wasn't crazy enough to fight the city guard as well. The other two guards drew their swords. One moved to press a blade to Mikaels chest and the other stood in combat stance next to the shield basher. "So, anyone care to tell me what happened here?" he said authoritatively. Faendal decided now was as good a time as any to speak up.

"Excuse me officer," he said. The guard turned to him, tilting his head. "I can explain. This man, Mikael, was harassing this young lady" he explained, gesturing to Mikael and Carlotta respectively. The guard turned to Carlotta.

"Is this true?" he asked.

"Yes. He was refusing to take no for an answer" she said, wincing at the memory and his grip on her wrist. "Then that man slammed him into a wall" she gestured to Varion. "After that, Mikael punched him three times and got slammed through a table. The fight escalated from there" she said. Faendal glanced at her with a thankful look, grateful that she was helping him out. The guard placed a hand on his helmet in exasperation. He turned to Varion who nodded to confirm the story.

"I'm tired of dealing with drunken brawls. Give me a bandit raid any day..." he groaned. "Right, take Mikael with us. We'll question him later. And you," he said, turning to point at Varion. "You might've acted with honourable intentions, but smashing people through tables is taking it too far. You're new in town, so never do it again and we'll not mention this in the future" he finished, relaxing his stance. His bodyguard sheathed his weapon and Faendal breathed a sigh of relief. The guards turned and left, the latter two carrying the finally unconscious Mikael. Varion rolled his shoulders and turned to Carlotta.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Well, yeah, thanks. I think this might get him to finally stop chasing me" she said with relief.

"If he doesn't, I could throw him straight through the wall next time?" he suggested jokingly (or at least what Faendal hoped was jokingly), getting a laugh from Carlotta. Faendal noticed her visibly relax, she'd been tense while speaking to Varion before that.

"_Understandably so, seeing as he just started a bar brawl and was winning"_ Faendal thought sarcastically to himself. Varion then turned to Hulda.

"Um, sorry about the mess" he said, rubbing the back of his head. He tossed a coin purse over to her. "Can 200 gold cover two rooms and enough insurance so I can come back here again?" he asked. Hulda blinked twice, then looked at the gold in her hand.

"Sure, the bard was annoying anyways" she said, her warm smile returning to her face. Faendal's mouth threatened to drop open.

"_His attitudes so different again! How am I supposed to read this man?"_

* * *

A/N:So, we had Faendal's point of view for the first time! I didn't really announce it, but if you'd like I can put a little line in to notify when it switches P.O.V. I hope you guys liked the bar fight, it was one of the bigger action scenes I've written so far. Hopefully it aptly displays Varions aptitude for unarmed combat.

Also, with Varions temper switches, I just want to clear that up. He fluctuates between pissed off and calm mainly depending on who he's speaking to. For example, he's chill with Hulda because he's got no reason to be angry. However, Mikael is a little shit, so he's more than okay with throwing him around.

Leave reviews for what you want to see next! Varion could either go down the main questline for a while or perhaps he'll go to the companions? Maybe you want to see him interact with a specific NPC? Your reviews can help shape the direction the story goes!

Hopefully you guys enjoyed and I will see you in the next chapter!


	5. Before the Storm 3 - Joining the Club

**Previously on The Legend of Varion...**

Varion received a mission from the Jarl's wizard to go get a stone from a dungeon, and he accepted it with reluctance. Following this, he beat up a bard, fought half the people in the Bannered Mare, and then he and Faendal slept at the inn for the night...

**Now back to the story...**

* * *

Varion rose from his head and stretched, yawning as he did so. He wasn't a fan of early mornings, but didn't want to overstay his welcome. He massaged his left cheek and winced. Mikael was a weakling, but being hit in the head by an instrument still hurt. He opened his palm and concentrated for a moment, and as he did, a calming yellow glow appeared in his hand. He tensed and the glow intensified and he felt warmth spread through his body, especially his injured cheek. A few seconds later, he let the healing spell vanished and then touched his formerly injured cheek. There was no pain from his touch, the healing spell had worked. Varion made a note to eventually learn more about magic. It seemed that in Skyrim, he might need an extra edge over his enemies beyond his sword and fist. He then heard a knock at his door.

"What is it?" he asked, making his way over to wear he'd left his armour for the night.

"Varion? May I enter?" Faendal's voice came from behind the door.

"Sure" Varion replied, shrugging his shoulders as he did, despite the fact no-one was around. He watched Faendal open the door and step inside, looking only slightly hungover. "Faendal, good to see you. Sleep well?" he asked, turning around to put on his armour.

"Yes, it was pleasant. Recovered from last night?" the elf asked back. Varion couldn't help but smirk.

"Would you believe that's one of the tamer bar fights I've been in?" He turned around to see Faendal's reaction, but it just held a look of exasperation.

"After yesterday's display, it really wouldn't surprise me," he said, rubbing his forehead. Varion chuckled. It seemed like the elf had become accustomed to his violent tendencies already. He wasn't boasting, he'd been in far more intense fights than that before, even if you only looked at his bar brawl history. "So, are we off to Bleak Falls Barrow now?" he asked. Varion grabbed his belt and tightened it around his waist, then set about fastening his two scabbards to it.

"About that, I had another idea in mind," he said. Faendal tilted his head, waiting for his explanation. "Those companions. I figured I should pay them a visit before that archer girl forgets who I am". Faendal frowned.

"But didn't the wizard say the Dragonstone was a priority?" Varion grunted.

"Maybe if he wasn't a prick, I'd care more. Besides, what's the good of knowing where dead dragons are when an alive one is still flying around? The Dragonstone seems more like a long term useful item, not a quick fix for this problem" he reasoned, and he finished pulling on his gear except his helmet.

"I suppose it's not the most absurd reasoning I've heard" Faendal said, with an air of reluctance in his voice. Varion then remembered the rest of his idea.

"Actually, I had a job for you if you don't mind" he spoke up again. "I think you should go back to Riverwood. Prepare yourself for our little adventure. You're gonna need some actual armour for this" he said, gesturing to Faendal's plain clothes. The duo walked down the stairs and Varion gave Hulda a quick wave before leaving. "Go to Alvor. Tell him I sent you. That should be enough to get you something for free, or at least a discount" he said. He breathed in the morning whiterun air, enjoying the sun on his face before he donned his helmet again.

"So when will you come get me?" Faendal asked.

"I'll see about joining these guys. When that's resolved, I'll come back to Riverwood and we can go get this stone". Varion patted Faendal on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll not be long". Faendal nodded.

"Farewell Varion. I'll be ready long before you get back" he promised. Varion gave him a small smile, then turned and walked in the direction of Whiterun's wind district. Behind him, Faendal returned the smile and set out for Riverwood, happy to return home.

**X-X-X-X-X**

When walking into the building that housed the revered companions, Varion expected many things. A dark elf and a nord beating the oblivion out of each other while other armoured men and women stood around cheering was not one of them. As the nord tackled the elf around the waist, he lost sight of them behind the surrounding people. He walked over to the crowd and looked over them. Being 6'4 had its perks. The dark elf was clearly on the losing side. His back was flat on the ground with his guard up and the girl was straddling him and raining down blow after blow, her fists flying onto him. Eventually, his guard broke and her left fist landed square in his face. "AH! That's enough! I surrender!" the elf shouted in pain. The girl got off him and sneered.

"Seems like you're still a cut below me!" she said triumphantly, and Varion could practically taste the ego coming from her. The elf scowled.

"Speaking of cuts, perhaps you'd like to fight with blades some day Njada?" he said, challenging her. She frowned, but then one of the older warriors walked in, a large nord with one eye and a half bald hairstyle.

"That's enough you two. Athis, go get healed up. Njada, you did well, but remember, you can hold back against your shield-siblings" he said sternly. The girls face fell, but she nodded.

"Fine Skjor. If he was a bit better though, it wouldn't be a problem" she smirked. Skjor rolled his eyes. Varion walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder at him.

"Who are you? Why are you in our hall?" he asked.

"I'm here to join the companions. Aela said I might have what it takes" he replied. Skjors eye narrowed.

"Aela thinks you've got potential? Head downstairs and see Kodlak. He's got the final say" he declared, pointing towards the stairs. Varion nodded at walked off to the stairs and the door at their base. He heard the companions mutter about him, but he cared little for what they thought of him. In this hall, it seemed like strength was the only thing that mattered, and Varion was confident he could handle himself in that regard. He walked down the halls of lower Jorrvaskr, and he saw two men sitting in chairs in a room at the end of what he assumed was the main hall. He heard them discussing something in hushed tones, but he couldn't quite make out their words. He stood in front of them and cleared his throat to announce his presence. They both looked at him. One had medium length black hair and stubble whilst the other had a full white beard and longer hair.

"Are you Kodlak?" Varion asked Mr White-Beard.

"That I am, boy. Why do you come to our hall?" he asked. Varion frowned slightly at the fact he was called boy, but he held his tongue. The old man hadn't said it meaning to offend, more like he said it to reflect the difference in their age and experience.

"I want to join the companions" he said, his tone indifferent.

"Do you now? Why is this?" Kodlak asked. Varion felt strange, the old man's tone was unnerving. He wasn't used to hearing someone speak so calmly, yet have their voice alone carry so much wisdom and authority.

"I seek to forge a new life for myself in Skyrim, seeing as I only arrived here a few days ago. I figured a group of honourable warriors could send me in the right direction" he said, shrugging his shoulders. A thoughtful look crossed Kodlak's face. He looked Varion up and down.

"I see. You appear to be quite... interesting. What is your name?" he asked.

"Varion. My name is Varion" he answered. The nord next to Kodlak spoke up.

"Master, you're not seriously considering accepting this man?" he said with a disbelieving tone.

"_What's his problem?" _Varion thought.

"I am no-ones master Vilkas" Kodlak said sternly. "And we are always ready to welcome those with honour and the will to fight," he added. Vilkas glanced down.

"Apologies" he muttered. Kodlak sighed.

"Before we see about you joining our ranks," he began. "A few questions first. As you know, the companions are in battle more often than not. How do you fare in a fight?" Varion thought of his escape from Helgen, his fight against the wolf pack and his bar fight the night before and smirked.

"I'm a skilled fighter, I have practice in both armed and unarmed combat. My primary weapon is a greatsword, though I sometimes use one handed blades" he answered, gesturing to the twin swords at his hips. "I have some skill in dual wielding swords, though I wouldn't call it exceptional" he admitted honestly. "As for unarmed combat, I have great versatility with attacks as well as considerable strength" he finished, watching Kodlak for his reaction.

"Hmm. Interesting. We shall see in a few moments if that holds true. What experience do you have with work such as ours?" the old man pried.

"I worked as a bounty hunter, or I guess a mercenary for about 8 years, handled all sorts of jobs" he answered, leaving it vague enough to not reveal the darker things of what he'd done.

"And you think you conducted yourself honourably during those years?"

"When I could. But sometimes honour has to give way for survival" he replied bluntly. Kodlak nodded, seemingly deep in thought.

"The words of a sellsword. Or a coward" Vilkas snarked. Varion clenched his fist, trying to keep his face calm.

_"I'll be happy to show this bastard just how wrong he is!"_ he thought angrily, but Kodlak spoke up first.

"Vilkas! Enough" he said quietly, but firmly and Vilkas looked away sheepishly. Kodlak then turned his attention back to Varion. "Yours is a fair viewpoint Varion, though you will find the two are one and the same in the companions" he continued. "I see great potential within you Varion. I see strength in your spirit and a strong will to become better. But I also see rage, pain. These must be tempered" he said while glancing at Varion's fist. Varion was a bit unnerved.

_"He got all that just by a few questions? And looking me up and down?"_ He mentally shrugged it off. He was an old wise warrior and a leader, of course he'd have a good sense for people. "I'm always prepared to improve myself, in whatever way I need to" he replied simply, yet sincerely.

"Good lad. Vilkas!" The other nord glanced up to face Kodlak. "Take Varion out to the yard, see if he's telling the truth about his combat skills". Vilkas sighed.

"Aye" he said and got up, jogging down the hall. Varion rolled his eyes and followed. It was clear that he'd already made a half enemy and he'd been in the hall for about 5 minutes.

**X-X-X-X-X**

They walked out into the yard at the back of Jorrvaskr. Varion looked around and saw training dummies. There were warriors training, hacking heads off or shield bashing the straw opponents. Vilkas turned to face Varion. "The old man seems to think you might be worth something. Let's see if he was right" he said, unsheathing his sword and raising his shield. Varion drew his greatsword. He figured power would be useful to break Vilkas' guard. "Take a few swings at me so I can see what you're made of. Don't worry, I can take it" he declared.

"_You'd better not complain when I kick your ass"_ Varion thought to himself, and he swung his blade downwards. Vilkas blocked it with relative ease, then swung his blade in a horizontal slash. Varion quickly twisted his sword to intercept the attack, then he kicked out with his right foot, landing a kick on Vilkas' left knee. His opponent hopped backwards, grimacing. He charged at Varion again, slashing with greater speed this time. Varion was having trouble keeping up with his pace, his iron greatsword was large, clunky, hard to wield. He made a mental note to get a better greatsword as soon as possible. He deflected one of Vilkas' slashes, then backstepped to dodge another. He sidestepped Vilkas' next thrust and rammed the hilt of his sword towards his face, but his attack was blocked by Vilkas' shield. Next thing he knew, the same shield had been rammed into his body, slightly winding him and nearly making him drop his blade.

"Come on! Is that all you're made of?" Vilkas challenged. Varion gritted his teeth and pushed onwards. He knew that defending, he was at a disadvantage thanks to his larger, slower blade. However, on attack, Vilkas' guard wouldn't last forever. He swung his sword in a right slash, forcing Vilkas to cross over his body to intercept it with his shield, ruining his stance. With that amatuer move, it was clear he'd underestimated Varion, and that would prove to be his downfall. Varion swung his foot in a roundhouse kick into Vilkas' back before swinging his sword around into a left diagonal slash. The attack was barely blocked and Vilkas lost balance. "That's enough!" he declared. Varion stepped back, clutching his sword.

"So, how'd I do?" he said. He was doing his best to play it off, but he was a bit worn out from the fight. Vilkas was a quick fighter and he'd been holding back during that skirmish. Varion didn't relish the thought of fighting him in a real battle. With a good sword and good armour, he reckoned he could've pulled it off, but as he was now, Vilkas would almost certainly kill him blade-to-blade.

"Your power isn't bad. Your sword however is pitiful". Varion scowled.

"It was enough to thrash you" Varion retorted. Vilkas frowned.

"Listen whelp, you're new here. You do what we tell you, when we tell you, and right now I'm telling you not to talk back to your superiors!" he said, raising his voice. They glared at each other, then Varion sheathed his weapon. Vilkas sighed before tossing his sword over to Varion.

"This a present?" Varion asked sarcastically. Vilkas rolled his eyes.

"Take that up to Eorlund, get it sharpened. Careful with it by the way, it's likely worth more than you are" he finished, walking past Varion into Jorrvaskr. He scowled. That guy was pissing him off. He glanced over at the raised area and he could smell molten metal.

"_I guess that's the blacksmith"_ he thought and walked up the stairs.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Got a delivery Eorlund" he announced, handing Vilkas' sword to the older nord. He turned towards Varion, looking him up and down.

"I'm guessing you're the newcomer to the companions?" he asked, taking the sword and putting it on a stone bench littered with random weapons.

"Yeah. I got a question, is Vilkas normally a prick to new recruits?" he asked, letting a bit of his frustration into his voice. Eorlund gave out a hearty laugh.

"Oh don't worry about it. He was a whelp once, just like you. He just takes a while to warm up to people" he said. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Seems like we've got one thing in common," he replied. "We tend to judge people on first impressions, and it takes a lot to win us over if the impression is negative," he added. Eorlund scoffed.

"If this companions business doesn't hold up for you, maybe you could write a book," he said. Varion rolled his eyes again.

"I'd better be off before he gets annoyed again" he said, turning to leave.

"Actually, I have a favour to ask. Could you take this shield to Aela?" the blacksmith requested, holding the item in question out to Varion.

"Oh, the archer girl. I know her. Sure, I'll lend a hand. At least she's friendly" he replied.

"Good man. I'll see you around" Eorlund said, nodding in respect. Varion grunted in response and walked back down the stairs. Within minutes, he was back in the lower level of Jorrvaskr, looking around for Aela. He eventually heard her voice coming from a room in a side passage and he walked into the room, finding both Aela and Skjor.

"What are you doing in here new blood?" Skjor asked. Varion nodded his head towards Aela.

"Delivery from Eorlund" he said with no tone and he handed the shield to Aela. "_I get that I'm the new guy, but I didn't sign up to be their errand boy" _he thought with frustration.

"My thanks. Good to see you made it up here!" she said. "I was hoping you'd join our little band. You fight fiercely" she complimented. Varion smiled in spite of himself.

"Well, thanks" he said. Skjor looked him up and down.

"I saw you training with Vilkas earlier. You handled yourself alright at the end there" he remarked. Varion didn't detect hostility in his tone.

"I'm guessing you said at the end thanks to my struggles in the middle part of the fight?" Skjor nodded. Varion grimaced. "My blade isn't great. Going on the defensive with that thing is tiring" he admitted. Skjor nodded.

"Well, you know what you're talking about at least" he said. Aela then stopped examining her shield and looked at Varion.

"Do you think you could take Vilkas in a proper fight?" she asked. Varion took a second to think. Vilkas was a capable warrior with good equipment. His armour didn't seem to slow him, and his sword, even dulled, was remarkably sharp and light. It wasn't an ordinary steel blade.

"Well, that depends. With the sword I have now? Probably not. In a brawl though…" Varion cracked his knuckles. "I'd take him on any day," he said, an air of confidence and aggression about him.

"Ha, now that sounds entertaining. Let's test out your theory someday" Aela said. "But in the meantime, let's show you to your quarters".

"Farkas!" Skjor called out. The greatsword wielder from the farm came running into the room.

"You called?"

"Show this new blood where he'll be resting his head" Skjor commanded. Farkas looked Varion over.

"Ah, you made it to Jorrvaskr. Good to see you. Follow me" he said, turning and walking back the way he came. Varion nodded to Aela and Skjor, then walked after Farkas. "So, liking the companions so far?" he asked.

"Some of them are arrogant. Some of them are cool. I'll wait and see if that changes" Varion said decidedly. He made sure not to openly disrespect Vilkas, but he'd never been one to stray away from speaking his mind.

"Don't worry about that. Once you get more experience, they'll start to respect you" Farkas reassured him. He pointed at a room opposite the doors that led to the stairs. "That's where you sleep. Just pick any bed and rest up when you're tired" he said.

"Thanks" Varion said, walking into the room and finding four other people in there looking at him.

"Well, introduce yourself to others, me and Aela will let you know if we find work for you. Good luck, welcome to the companions" Farkas finished, clapping Varion on the back before walking off. Varion glanced around at his new associates, no, shield-siblings. The term felt weird on his tongue, anything to do with family was a foreign concept to him now. He introduced himself to his team, shaking hands with them as he did. Well, most of them. The dark elf, Athis had regarded him warily but bared no hostility. The nord, Torvar, shook his hand warmly and welcomed him with enthusiasm, much like Ria, the imperial that had been sent flying by the giant.

"Oh, I'm all good now. In this life, you learn to take a knock or two" she'd said. Varion could respect her tenacity. However, when attempting to greet Njada, the winner of the brawl earlier, Varion could feel his frown returning automatically seeing as she ignored his offered hand.

"I'm still trying to figure out why they let you sign up in the first place" she snarked at him. Varion felt his frown evolve into a glare. He saw Ria put her palm to her face in the background.

"Could say the same to you. Not exactly impressive to look at" he retorted, equaling her disdainful tone. Now it was her turn to glare.

"I hope you know who you're speaking to," she said, the threat clearly evident in her voice.

"Do you?" he replied. Njada subtly moved her hand to rest on her sword hilt.

"You're either an idiot or you have a death wish. Which is it?" she growled. Varion resisted the temptation to chuckle. Sure, she could fight, he'd seen that. But seeing as she stood at about 5'7, he was finding it really hard to be afraid. He kept his frown up though, not letting emotion into his face. His neutral face was really quite something.

"Njada Stonearm, right? I got a question for you" he said, making sure to add confidence into his tone. She raised an eyebrow challengingly. The other 3 companions looked at them nervously. Varion guessed they knew about Njada's attitude, but they'd never seen anyone deliberately rile her up like this.

"And that would be?" she questioned. Varion turned his angry expression into a smirk.

"Want to fight?"

* * *

A/N:And there we go! The first faction questline is started! It's the companions because frankly Varion hasn't travelled past Whiterun and also because I think the warriors would be a little more in awe of the dragonborn, so to have this tension and conflict Varion still needs to be an unknown. I hope my writing style for the fight scenes is amusing enough, there's gonna be a lot more later. I explain Varions thought process upon meeting people a bit here, almost relating him to Vilkas in a way.

Also, for anyone who knows Njada, you should've been able to see this coming conflict from a mile away...

Thanks for reading and I will see you all next time!


	6. Before the Storm 4 - Brawl after Brawl

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion received a job from Farengar telling him to fetch the dragonstone. Seeing as he doesn't like being told what to do, he decided to join up with the companions. After dealing with a wise old man, a fierce archer woman, a goodhearted simple strongman, a one eyed guy who didn't really stand out and a douchebag, Varion officially became one of the companions. However, his brash nature didn't really sit well with Njada, the groups resident hothead/bitch…

**Now, back to the story...**

* * *

"Want to fight?" Varion said, staring down his potential opponent. Njada looked at him, seemingly analysing him for her chances of winning. Varion resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. He hated her already.

"Oh, I get it. Some newbie with a desire to be the big man, so he starts picking fights on day one. You're so basic" Njada spat, sneering at Varion.

"Nervous yet?" Varion growled, dropping his voice a few octaves. He watched her eyes widen in what seemed like fear, but her regular expression made its way back onto her face quickly.

"Hey, there's no need for this to get out of hand" Ria spoke up while placing a hand on Njadas shoulder, only to quickly withdraw it when the angry woman snarled at her.

"Oh, there's definitely a need for this to get out of hand! This bastard needs to be taught his place!" Njada practically shouted. Varion slightly grinned in anticipation. He felt the familiar rush of an upcoming fight, a rush he was very familiar with. His childhood had been littered with friendly fights with his friends while his teen years involved brawls with drunkards and fellow warriors. In a proper fight to the death, he felt a sensation of dread at the danger, but a regular punchup was something he enjoyed greatly. Admittedly, last night had been an exception, but that fight was started for him.

"Want to take it outside? Or can you not make it upstairs without trying to punch me?" he remarked sarcastically. He wasn't adding any extra effort to make her angrier, but everything he said made her frown more intensely. She said nothing, instead choosing to storm out of the room, shouldering past him though he didn't really move in response. He followed her upstairs, noting the other younger companions sigh in regret. Clearly they all anticipated this to go wrong. They walked into the courtyard of Jorrvaskr, noting that Vilkas, Farkas and some old man were all sitting outside. Njada stormed angrily over to the training dummies and punched one in the face. Based off the fact that the dummies head nearly broke off the body, she clearly packed a mean swing. She turned around to face Varion and cracked her knuckles.

"Alright hotshot, take off your armour!" she declared. Varion thought that there was a joke to be made there, but he didn't care for that opportunity. He took off his gauntlets and chestplate, leaving only his undershirt on. Turning back, he saw that she was now only wearing a thin leather vest, pants and her boots.

"Good to see we're playing fair" Varion said offhandedly. He hadn't intended on decking her with a fist of steel, but at least she hadn't been expecting him to allow her that privilege.

"Alright, Varion, Njada. The fight goes until one of you surrenders" Ria announced tiredly. She then turned to Njada, a look of pleading on her face. "Remember that you are shield brother and sister. There's no need to go too far" she said, more to Njada than Varion. The nord woman in question rolled her eyes and stepped back into a fighting stance. Varion rolled his shoulders and did the same. "Alright then. FIGHT!"

The first blow in a fight can be the most important. Varion knew this from experience. However, Njada was a damn quick puncher and he hadn't had time to actually throw an attack. She threw a right punch at his chin and Varion had barely blocked it with his forearm in time. He frowned.

"_I knew she could fight, but could she be better than I thought?" _he wondered. Internally, he slapped the thought away. Doubt was going to get him in trouble. He returned the punch with one of his own, but Njada ducked under his attack and jabbed his stomach. Varion flinched and backstepped, avoiding what looked like a second gut punch. The blow had been light, but the fact she got under his guard so easily made him straighten up. She was good, not like Mikael. She ran at him, swinging her fist in a haymaker. He stepped back to avoid it, then Varion dashed forward with his own right cross. She tilted to the side, avoiding the attack before punching at him with her left hand. The fist hit his chest and he felt the pain before she hit him square in the cheek with a right hook. He stumbled back and she kicked him in the stomach, knocking him over. He rolled out of his fall and got to his feet again in one solid motion. Varion shook his arms before taking the offensive. He threw two punches, but she dodged both of them by sidestepping. He threw a kick and she sidestepped that too before lunging in with another punch. He raised his arms to block it and her fist hit his guard. Varion raised his eyebrows. "_Ok, I might have an idea"_ he thought, and he threw a jab. She moved her head to the side to dodge it before grabbing his arm. However, while she did that, he'd already brought his right knee round into her side. Njada cried out from the impact and released his arm, stumbling to the side. Varion cracked his knuckles and moved in. He threw a right punch, but Njada had recovered her balance and dodged it. She attacked him with a double jab. He deflected the first one, but the second one hit him right in the nose. Stunned, he failed to block her next two hook punches or her front kick. He stumbled back, barely catching himself from falling over. Njada steadied herself and Varion gazed at her.

"Ready to give up yet, hotshot?" she snarked. She didn't seem tired from the fight and she'd taken far less hits than Varion had. However, Varion smirked.

"You sure you want to keep going? You're better off surrendering on a high note" he taunted. Njada's face twisted into a face of confusion.

"What are you…? Do you hear yourself?" she said, more puzzled than angry. Varion stood up straight and dropped back into his fighting stance. Njada rolled her eyes and did the same, but as soon as she did, Varion was moving. His punch evidently caught her by surprise, he saw her eyes widen and panic flash into her expression for a moment. She managed to duck under it, but Varion was already throwing a jab at her head. She barely dodged that attack and tried to regain her balance. Varion then threw two more punches, and thanks to her awkward stance, she only dodged the first one. The next hit connected with her left cheek and she was spun around. She quickly moved away and stood up straight again. Varion saw her place a hand to her cheek and wince. However, he didn't let up. He moved in throwing punch after punch, never giving her a moments peace. Her dodges grew more frantic and sloppy and he landed punch after punch. After about 20 seconds, he jumped back to avoid her desperate counterpunch. Her arms were bruised and her right bicep was definitely damaged. Her face wasn't looking too damaged, but he had slightly grazed her left cheek again. Varion stood his ground, never dropping his guard and Njada breathed to try regain focus.

"_She's all about offence in a fist fight. When she fought Athis, she had him on the defensive the whole time. She's only dodged my hits, not blocked. She doesn't have the raw power to stand against me, so she's trying to force me on the defensive, stop me from attacking"_ Varion thought. He'd taken notes from the beginning of the fight and what he'd seen her do already. Her stance was strong, she'd never fallen over during their battle. Her shield was made of Orcish metal, so he'd assumed she specialised in shield techniques and blocking. With a shield, her defence would be far stronger, but in a fist fight that required enough power to defend against him, she was outmatched. However, Varion did respect her stamina, she was still on her feet. She'd even managed to keep fighting after he damaged her bicep, a technique that would disable most fighters he'd met. He grinned, not in a mocking way, but in a way that meant he was enjoying his time. "Gotta hand it to you, you're stubborn" he called out to her. Her eyes narrowed, she probably hadn't taken it as a compliment.

"If you didn't waste your time talking, maybe you would've won by now!" she growled and dropped back into her stance. She attacked him, her left hand a quick instrument of chip damage. Varion fell on the defensive voluntarily, taking light hits from her jabs when he couldn't block them in time. However, her right arm was definitely slower and deflecting those hits was child's play. He ducked under her right hook before delivering a punch to her stomach that made her nearly double over. The look in Njada's eyes was of pure anger. She let out a battle cry and attacked him with a rush of blows. Varions eyes widened, he hadn't expected such speed. Putting his guard up, he endured it as best he could. She hit him in the ribs, the stomach, plenty of times on the arms, but his head remained guarded. However, his guard faltered for a second and Njada took that time to strike his chin as hard as she could before throwing a powerful punch right at his face. As he recoiled from the attack, Varion grimaced. His lip was bleeding. She wasn't holding back. She was consumed by the battle lust and anger, and also her pride.

"_Shit. This has got to end now"_ Varion thought angrily. He breathed deeply before dropping into his battle stance. Normally in a proper fight, his anger drove him. He knew that she'd been consumed with rage because he'd fallen victim to that many times over, the bar fight yesterday being a prime example of an anger fueled fight of his. However, in a battle where he wanted to avoid really hurting his enemy, he needed to keep a cool head. He analysed her attacks. They were as sharp as they were at the start of the fight, it was like her injuries weren't affecting her anymore. Varion clenched his fist and prepared himself. Njada let out a battle cry and threw a mighty right hook, but Varion saw it coming from a mile away. He grabbed her wrist then twisted her arm out before pulling back his right hand. He then let the punch fly, connecting right to her face. However, he didn't stop there. As soon as he drew back his hand, another punch was thrown from his left hand, connecting with her stomach. His right hand then followed up with a punch to her shoulder. Then came a punch to her chest, then another to her face, then to her other shoulder. The other companions were amazed. Varions fists were moving amazingly fast in an attack rush, a flurry of punches to Njadas entire upper body. She didn't have time to react, the attacks were too quick. His face was completely stoic, traces of anger, sadness and focus were all present in his glare, a much more serious expression than he'd had for the rest of the fight. After around 5 seconds of the full speed rush, Varion reached back and slammed his palm into her shoulder. He then grabbed her and threw Njada to the ground before kneeling down and throwing a punch at her face, but stopping right before he made contact. She groaned, clearly in a fair amount of pain. Varion had an unreadable expression on his face. Njada coughed and Varion got up, taking away his fist.

"Ok, you did it. You win" she spat, sounding defeated. The other companions watching (the rookies), didn't know what to say. Njada had lost for the first time and Varion was looking not much worse for wear. Varion said nothing in response, but he offered his hand to her. She looked at it grudgingly before accepting it, and he helped her to his feet. Varion looked her up and down, examining her injuries. She was bruised up, that much was clear, but a healing potion or two would heal that. He'd made sure to hold back and avoid her vital points, hence why none of her bones were broken, or she wasn't dead. Varion knew how deadly that attack could be.

"Go get a healing potion. Train up, I'll be waiting for the rematch" he said, turning and walking away towards Farkas. Behind him, Njada was stunned, only managing to slightly nod her head. Varion frowned as he walked. The rush of battle had been replaced by bitter memories and his mood was pretty much ruined. He strolled past the other rookies, but he did flash them a tiny smile, not much more than a twitch of his lips.

"Well fought new blood!" Farkas said, clapping Varion on the back. Varion winced a bit. He was a little sore from the fight, but he'd come away from it far better than his opponent.

"Um, thanks. By the way, I don't suppose you've got any work for me? I could use something to put my extra energy towards" he said, explaining his request as he did. Right now, Varion really needed something to get his mind off the memories that had resurfaced, and not fist-fighting would probably help with that.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Gimme a break…" Varion groaned as he looked for his newest punching bag. In almost the exact opposite of what he wanted, Farkas had sent him to brawl with this guy called Nazeem in Whiterun. Despite his mood, he'd accepted the job. Turning down the very first piece of work he got given was probably not going to win him any favours. Varion walked through the market and turned to the gate, and he saw Nazeem walking towards him. Nazeem looked the part of a wealthy snob. He had fine clothes, a smug expression and he was short. "Hold it!" Varion called out to Nazeem. The redguard glanced at him with a look of irritation.

"Out of my way brute. I'm on my way to Dragonsreach" he said, attempting to move past. Varions arm stopped him in his tracks.

"Listen, I'm here on behalf of the companions. I'm here to persuade you to stop being such a douchebag. How painful this is, depends on you…" Varion threatened. Nazeem rolled his eyes.

"Please boy, I am a high standing member of Whiterun society. The jarl himself listens to my counsel and the cloud districts residents revere me" he said, really amping up his smug tone. Varion clenched his fist. Farkas had warned him not to kill, but this guy was really testing his patience.

"Do you get to the cloud district very often?" Nazeem asked sarcastically. "Oh, what am I saying? Of course you don't," he snarked. Varion saw red. He was sick of this bastard already.

"Alright prick, put up your fists. I'm convincing you this way" he snarled. Nazeem's eyes widened.

"Watch your tone peasant! I assure you, despite your stature I am more than capable of taking a thug like you down!" he threatened, though all it did was make Varion roll his eyes harder.

"Gimme a break…" Varion sighed as Nazeem blustered in front of him.

"Normally I hold myself above such brutish activities, but seeing as you're a stranger who needs to be shown his position in life, I'll make an exception" Nazeem boasted while cracking his knuckles. He slid his right foot backwards and entered into a left foot fighting stance. "Now, prepare to admit your idiocy!" Nazeem shouted, swinging his right fist in a haymaker. However, his fist never made it within a foot of his opponents face. Varions right fist collided with Nazeems face in a near instant.

"_Good luck snarking at me when you're eating your own teeth"_ Varion thought with all the anger in the world. Nazeem went flying backwards, landing hard on his back. He slowly lifted his head, clutching at his face. Varion looked down on him with a look ranging between boredom, anger and disgust. Stuck up pricks like Nazeem were one of the things guaranteed to piss him off.

"You cretin!" Nazeem cried, clearly in great pain. Varion had removed his right gauntlet in anticipation of the fight, but he'd been using over half his strength in that punch. Njada could take his hits, Nazeem definitely couldn't.

"Oh shut up" Varion sighed. "I've made my point clear. Do what I said and the companions won't send me again". Varion turned away from Nazeem and put his gauntlet back on as he walked back to Jorrvaskr. "Good grief, after this, exploring a nordic ruin sounds like a picnic" he muttered to himself. He flexed his fist. He'd done so much bare hand fighting in such a short time, his fists were slightly sore. He grabbed a healing potion and drank it, feeling a warm rush through his body, very prevalent in his fist. He glanced at his hand, the bruises had faded. He shoved open the doors to Jorrvaskr. "_These companions, not bad work, the money isn't bad either, but I've had enough of this for one day"_.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Faendal was leaning on a fence gazing at the river. Birds flew overhead and the bushes rustled in the gentle riverwood breeze. It had been two days since he had returned to Riverwood under the order of Varion, and now he was waiting for his friends return. He'd done as he asked and spoken to Alvor and the blacksmith was happy to forge him a set of basic armour. A set of reinforced leather armour sat in his house with imperial standard steel bracers thrown in to switch things up a bit. He'd replenished his steel arrows and gotten a steel dagger as well at a discounted price, so this friendship was proving to be quite the bargain so far. Faendal glanced at the ruin. He'd heard stories of draugr within those ruins, walking corpses that retained their skills with combat. He didn't fancy fighting them, but if Varion wanted his assistance, he would provide it. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard steel boots crunch over the dirt path towards him. He turned and saw Varion trudging towards him. "Ah, good to see you Varion!" he greeted. "How did your time with the companions go?" he asked. Varion groaned.

"There's like, 3 nice ones, two douchebags and I don't care about the rest" he replied tiredly. "I joined, beat one of them up, decked a snob in Whiterun city and got paid for it. A whirlwind of a day" he commented. Faendal slowly nodded, it sounded like Varion had quite the mini adventure.

"Well, Alvor gifted me some new gear like you asked. I'm ready to head into the barrow as soon as you are" Faendal said, changing the subject. Varion nodded.

"I got a new sword. It's only steel, but it's a damn sight better than the old one I had. Cleaved a wolf clean in half" Varion remarked offhandedly.

"Well, shall we be on our way?" Faendal asked, eager to begin on their journey so diving through a nordic ruin would be behind him.

"Yeah, let's get this stupid rock" Varion muttered and he walked off, Faendal following behind, the pair of them ready for their most dangerous task yet.

* * *

A/N:Well, lots of fighting this chapter! I like to think of this part of the story as the annoying part of Skyrim that we have to slog through every time we begin a new game. After this, the story should pick up as we begin the next arc, "Dragonborn Rising"! Exciting isn't it?

Please leave feedback of the fight scenes. They're a fairly important part of the reading experience for this story, and I'd like to make sure they're entertaining and easy to follow. This was The Legend of Varions first extensive fight, so I hope it was sufficiently good. Once again, leave feedback in the reviews, I'm always looking to improve!

Thank you all for reading, see you all next time!


	7. Dragonborn Rising 1 - Bleak Falls Barrow

**Last time on The Legend of Varion…**

After knocking a few teeth out of Nazeem, Varion decided to get to Riverwood and reunite with Faendal. They now travel to Bleak Falls Barrow to retrieve the dragonstone.

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The winds chilled Varion, but he pushed through them and kept going. Seeing as they left Riverwood almost immediately after he returned, the snowstorm he'd sighted on his way there hadn't subsided. They'd walked right into it after getting halfway up the mountain and it was fearsome. His steel armour left his lower biceps and upper forearms exposed between his sleeves and gauntlets, so he periodically lit a low level fire spell near them to keep them heated. He wasn't worried about dying of cold, his nordic blood made him resistant to this type of stuff, but it was still an annoyance. His boots plowed through the snow and he was thankful for his strength. Faendal seemed to be doing a bit better. While Varion trudged through the snow with sheer force, Faendal never seemed very slowed by it, like his elven grace granted him easy movement. He'd left his clothes on under his armour, so he wasn't as burdened by the cold and he kept pace with Varion annoyingly easily. "How are you doing that?" Varion asked. "You're just strolling through this stuff no trouble at all".

"Well, maybe because I'm not carrying so many weapons I could be considered a blacksmith's shop?" Faendal joked sarcastically. Varion rolled his eyes. He carried a steel sword on either side of his belt, his new steel greatsword on his back and a steel dagger on his right thigh for close combat stabbing. Sure, it was a bit excessive, but he liked the options.

"_Gotta say, these aren't helping me now" _Varion complained internally. He was never gonna tell that to Faendal though. The pair continued to climb in silence, eventually reaching the stairs leading to the ruins entrance. Thankfully the snow had thinned, so Varion was moving at full speed again. Annoyingly, so were the bandits that moved to attack him. He growled and drew his greatsword. He'd bought it from Adrianne on his way out from Whiterun and he was glad for the upgrade.

"Die bastard!" the first bandit shouted, a short breton warrior with a waraxe. Varion quickly stepped to the side to dodge his amatuer axe swing and the breton kept charging forward, going past him before stumbling to a stop. Varion kicked him in the back of the knee and the breton was knocked to one knee. Varion swung his sword and decapitated the poor bandit in one slash.

"_Thanks Adrianne"_ he thought, but quickly lept backwards to dodge an arrow shot at him. An arrow then lodged itself in the chest of the shooter and Varion knew Faendal had come through. He charged up the stairs, still brandishing his sword. Another bandit came to attack him, but he swung his sword low and struck the attackers legs with the flat of his blade, knocking him over and sending him falling down the stairs. He trusted Faendal to finish that guy off as he approached the archer, ready to finish him off. It was a Bosmer and Varion could see the steel arrow sticking out of his banded iron armour with blood trickling from the wound. He was hurt, but too stubborn to run or surrender. The bosmer drew an Orcish dagger and Varion raised his eyebrows in approval. He ran in and stabbed at Varion, but it was clear that close range fighting wasn't this guys forte. Varion blocked the stab with a sideways guard from his sword, then rammed the hilt into the wood-elfs face. He stumbled backwards, but Varion grabbed him by the armour with one hand and flipped him over his shoulder. He sheathed the greatsword and slammed his knee into the bandits stomach, making him spit blood. Varion tore the dagger from his grasp and examined it.

"You son of a bitch! That's mine!" the wood-elf coughed in pain. Varion paid him no mind and noticed Faendal walking up the stairs to join him. He turned back to the bandit, then smashed his hand into the guys head. It knocked the man unconscious with little effort. He stood up and took his dagger and sheath off his thigh.

"Here," Varion said, casually tossing it to Faendal. The elf caught it. "Present for you. Do what you want with it" Varion continued while putting the orcish dagger in the same position as his previous dagger had been.

"My thanks," Faendal said while attaching the dagger to his belt. "Are we ready to head inside?" Varion nodded, strolling over to the door.

"Alright, I got a message for any bastards hiding in here!" he shouted, kicking the door open. "Run or die. I'm all out of mercy for today!"

**X-X-X-X-X**

"I see they chose the die option" Varion muttered as he shook the blood off one of his swords. He hadn't expected so many bandits inside, this was the 7th one that he and Faendal had cleaved through. They'd overheard something about the Golden Claw, prompting Faendal to tell him that the head of the Riverwood trader, Lucan Valerius, had recently had a "golden claw" stolen from his shop. They'd began looking for it, but the 7 bandits they'd killed didn't hold the mysterious claw on their bodies. Varion sighed and walked down the next hallway. The nordic ruins weren't as disgusting as he'd imagined, but breathing was hardly a refreshing sensation unlike in the open lands of Skyrim. Faendal seemed to be doing worse here than outside. His face had shown more disgust on it in the last 5 minutes than in the entire time Varion had known him.

"Ugh! As if the rotting corpses weren't bad enough" he gagged, glancing at the bodies in the little burial alcoves that they were walking past. Varion smirked, seemed the elf was used to fancier locations. He turned a corner ready to enter a new room, but managed to stop himself before he hit the giant wall of white in his way. He raised his hand into a fist, telling Faendal to stop. "What is this?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion. Varion didn't answer, but he drew his sword. He slashed at the wall of webbing, slicing through the first layer.

"Frostbite spider webs. Careful, only a big one could've made this" he warned. He kept slashing until the wall was shredded, then he heard a voice.

"Is... is someone coming? Is that you Harknir? Bjorn? Soling?" Varions ears perked up. He stepped through the door and saw a dunmer webbed against the wall, thoroughly trapped. "You? Who are you?" the captive elf asked.

"None of your business. What are you doing in here?" Varion asked. He'd heard a conversation between two bandits about an elf called Arvel running ahead with the Golden Claw, but they'd attacked him before he could eavesdrop more. However, this was the only elf bandit they'd seen, so logic dictated that this was Arvel. He opened his mouth to answer, but then glanced upwards in terror.

"HELP ME! Here it comes again!" he screamed. Varion's eyes widened and he looked up and swore. A massive frostbite spider descended from a hole in the roof. He leapt to the side and rolled, getting some distance between him and it. He saw an arrow land in its abdomen area, but Faendal's attack did little more than make it angry.

"Give me a break…" Varion drew his greatsword and brought it down hard on the spiders leg as it turned towards Faendal. It sliced through the limb like butter and the creature screeched in agony. Varion winced, the noise was horrible. It made to turn around, but suddenly Varion noticed a glow from the other side of the room and the spider froze. He leaned to the side and saw Faendal glowing faintly. He sheathed his greatsword and watched on.

"Listen to me, beast of the wild. I am a son of Valenwood, and you will heed my words" he said. Varion had never heard him sound so authoritative. "Surrender now. You will remain calm, and still" he continued, and the spider, amazingly, obeyed. It remained frozen, just gazing at Faendal like it was awaiting another command. Varion drew one of his swords and slowly climbed on the spider, trying not to shudder at its hideousness. The spider twitched, but Faendal simply commanded it to remain still and it obeyed. Varion positioned himself on the spider and drove his sword directly through its head, piercing straight through. He then slashed upwards, cleaving the head in half. The spider simply collapsed, dying immediately and Varion quickly jumped off, shaking his sword in disgust. He then turned to Faendal in amazement who had ceased glowing.

"How the hell did you do that?" he asked.

"It seems to be a talent of Wood Elves. We can speak to animals, force them to listen to our words. I've trained it so it works most of the time, but it's draining if I do it more than once a day" he explained. Varion raised his eyebrows. He clapped Faendal on the shoulder appreciatively.

"Well, you did damn good" he complimented and Faendal grinned. However, Arvel coughed from his prison.

"Yes yes, well done. Now, cut me down before something else comes!" he demanded in panic. Varion rolled his eyes and pointed his blade at the stuck Dunmer.

"You're Arvel, right? Where's the golden claw?"

"The claw? Yes, I figured out how it worked! The door in the hall of stories, I know how to unlock it! The claw, it's both the key and the password!" Varion listened and tilted his head.

"What the hell are you babbling about?" he asked, confused at the rambling.

"Cut me down and I'll show you!" Arvel offered. "You wouldn't believe what kind of secrets the nords hid here!" he said enticingly. Varion shrugged and moved over to him. He swung his blade at the webbing a few times, aiming for the places where it looked strongest. Within seconds, Arvel was free. However, he immediately turned around. "You fool! Why shoul-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence before Varion grabbed him by the armour and slammed him into the wall. Faendal sighed. Seemed Varion had a favourite technique for interrogation.

"Listen thief, you're gonna give me the claw now and lead the way to this door. You run, I kill you. Understand?" Varion growled. He'd seen the attempted escape coming from a mile away, this thief had no honour. Arvel gulped and nodded frantically. He dug around in his pockets and presented Varion with the golden claw, which he snatched away and tossed to Faendal.

"So Varion, looks like we've got a guide" he said, giving a nasty look to Arvel. Varion dropped the dark elf and tilted his head in the direction of the barrows deeper tunnels.

"Get moving jackass" he commanded, and Arvel tensed up, clearly terrified. He began jogging down the halls and Varion followed, Faendal being close behind. After about a minute, they entered into another room full of burial alcoves. Varion glanced around and tensed. One of the corpses had an amulet of Talos clutched in it's hand. Arvel noticed this as well, these amulets were valuable if you sold them to the right stormcloak. The thief's eye twitched and he reached for the amulet. Varion however wasn't focused on the amulet. This corpse was armoured, and a weapon was in it's other hand.

"Well, looks like something good came from the trip after all!" Arvel cheered as he grabbed the amulet.

"Idiot! Get back!" Varion warned, but before Arvel could do anything, the corpse had begun to move. It swung its sword too fast for Arvel to react and stabbed him right in the heart. He groaned, but it was clear that he was beyond saving. His body went limp a few moments later. Varion drew his swords and assumed a combat ready stance and Faendal drew his bow, notching an arrow. Around the room, several of the bodies got to their feet, drawing their weapons. Their eyes glowed blue and they all walked forward, ready to fight. Varion growled.

"Gimme a break…"

**X-X-X-X-X**

"I wish these guys would stay dead! Or down. Or not walking. Yeah, that's more accurate" Varion growled (mostly to himself). He twisted his greatsword and deflected a slash from a draugrs greatsword. He then swung his blade low and chopped the zombies legs off, causing it to fall to the ground. Varion then lifted his boot and stomped his foot down hard. The draugrs head was crushed like a melon underneath it. He turned to see Faendal and his eyes widened. A draugr had knocked him to the ground and was pushing it's sword down towards Faendal's neck. His bow had been knocked a few feet away and his daggers couldn't be drawn while he was holding back the sword. Faendal's hands bled as he tried to hold back the blade. The draugr snarled in what sounded like sadistic pleasure. Varion growled and rushed over. He kicked the draugr off of Faendal and severed it's head from its body in one slash. He then slashed it's torso apart from it's legs and breathed heavily.

"Damn it. Thanks for the save" Faendal grimaced, irritated that he'd nearly been bested. Varion helped him to his feet. They'd been going through this draugr infested ruin for what felt like a half hour at least, and they'd been slaying corpses left and right. Faendal had run out of arrows and was now using ancient nordic ones. One of Varions one-handed swords had snapped in half and his bowstring had broken after he was attacked from behind while attempting archery.

"Don't worry about it. It can't be long now" Varion muttered, handing Faendal a healing potion. They only had two left, the dungeon delve had taken its toll on their bodies. The elf drank it in one go and threw the bottle against the wall where it shattered. He rolled his neck and retrieved his bow. Varion nodded and the two continued into the ruin. However, as they went through the door, they found themselves in a different looking room. This room was a long straight hall and the walls bore several carvings. Varion could make out warriors, mages, even a dragon here and there.

"Woah. What is this place?" Faendal asked in awe.

"If I had to guess, I'd say this is the hall of stories" Varion answered while glancing around.

"What makes you say that?"

"The fact that it's a hall and there are stories carved on the walls"

"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense". Varion rolled his eyes. The carvings were amazing, but he just wanted out. Breathing air from a crypt really sucked. They made it to the end of the hall and encountered a door. It was sealed tight and didn't budge at a kick from Varion.

"Care to give that another try?" Faendal said sarcastically. Varion chose to ignore him. He noticed what looked like the top halves of rings on the door with 3 symbols on them and a circular segment at the centre of the wall with holes. Varion pulled out the golden claw and lined up it's "claws" with the holes in the door. He smirked, it was a perfect match. He put it in, but the claw was spat back out and he caught it. Faendal eyed the claw in disappointment. "Well, that didn-"

"Faendal! Get down!" Varion shouted, tackling the elf to the floor away from the door. Not 2 seconds after he did, darts shot from holes in the walls, flying right across where they had been standing. Varion grimaced, that had been too close. He hauled Faendal to his feet and examined the door again.

"You know, I'm not sure why you're going back to the door again" Faendal admitted. Varion glanced back at his reluctant companion.

"If there's a super secret thing in this tomb, it's going to be in the super secret hardest to reach area. Right behind this super secret door in this super secret inner hall, that sounds like where I'd hide it" Varion said nonchalantly. Faendal shrugged, he had a point. Varion thought back to Arvel. "_The claw is the key and the password"_ he pondered, reflecting on the elfs cryptic words. "_Wait, those symbols!"_ his eyes shot to the circles that were in the centre of the rings. They had markings that resembled animals. Varion turned the claw over and looked at the foot, or its equivalent. There were circles with markings there as well! He glanced from the claw to the wall and back again. They were different markings, but that gave Varion an idea. Ignoring the look of confusion that Faendal had, Varion gripped one of the circles on the walls and pushed to the right. The whole ring began to turn automatically, coming to a stop and when it did, a different circle with a different animal symbol was lined up with the other two. Varion glanced at the claw, the top circle now matched on both things. He grinned, then did the same thing to the other two circles.

"Ah, I see now" Faendal noted. "I must say, having the combination to get in on the key sounds like a pretty unsafe system" he continued. Varion shrugged, he wasn't going to judge the ancient nord builders. He inserted the claw again and withdrew it manually and this time, the whole door rose up, revealing the inner chamber.

"Well, into the chamber of secrets" Varion muttered. He'd really hoped for just a chest behind the door with the dragonstone, but of course nothing could be that easy.

**X-X-X-X-X**

When most people hear ominous nordic chanting, they don't head towards it, right? Maybe that was Varions first piece of evidence to him being extraordinary. "Faendal, do you hear that chanting?" he asked, looking around to see where it was coming from. They'd just entered the cave when Varion had begun hearing it, and it was getting louder as they progressed further.

"What chanting? There's no choir here?" Faendal replied, puzzled at his companions question. Varion shook his head, but the chanting was still there. As they walked to what looked like a cliff, they found themselves looking over what seemed to be a shrine. Light shone in from a hole in the roof and there was a waterfall and everything. There was some kind of wall with weird markings on it and a strange carving above it. It looked odd, but awesome at the same time. Varion gazed at the inner chamber in admiration. "Wow, would you look at that?" Faendal said, in awe of the scenery. They headed down the stairs provided and walked into what looked like the centre of the area, right next to the curved marked wall. A coffin was sealed tight opposite the wall and there was a table with various potions and empty soul gems. A large chest was on the other side of the coffin. "Sweet!" Faendal cheered and began examining the potions. Varion sighed and pocketed the soul gems, wincing as he did. The chanting was at its loudest and most intense to the point where he could barely hear Faendal. He turned to face the wall and saw a word glow blue. The chanting somehow increased in volume further and he felt drawn to the wall. He stepped forward, almost in a trance like state. Faendal noticed this as presumably called his name, but he couldn't hear him. Suddenly, he saw streaks of energy come off the glowing word and flow into him. He flinched, but it didn't hurt. Instead, it felt good. After a while, the energy stopped and the chanting faded. However, Varion was more concerned about another thing.

"_That word. I, I understood it!" _he thought. He couldn't read any of that language, but somehow, that one glowing word had burned it's understanding into his brain. "_Fus" _he continued thinking. "_It means force. But how do I know that? Why was it glowing?"_ he thought furiously. However, his thoughts were interrupted by Faendal's shouts.

"VARION!" he called loudly. The nord spun around and saw a draugr burst out of the coffin. It brandished a nasty looking ancient nordic sword and what made it worse was the faint blue glow that it had around it, the sign of a frost enchantment. In it's other hand, Varion saw a large stone with some weird markings on it. He was willing to bet septims that this draugr was holding the dragon stone. He drew his greatsword from his back and Faendal prepared his twin daggers.

"Oh good grief…" Varion muttered. The mysterious word would have to wait for later.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion shoved open the doors of Dragonsreach Palace. He walked through with an air of pride and great frustration about him. Everyone's eyes were drawn to the sword on the left side of his belt. It glows blue and when he brushed past a guard, the guard shivered slightly. Faendal followed behind, sporting a bow that looked older than he did. He walked over to Farengar's little subsection. Even though they'd arrived back at Whiterun just as dawn was breaking, the mage was still awake. He was talking to some hooded woman in leather armour. He was babbling about something dragon related, but he jumped when Varion dropped the Dragonstone on his desk.

"This had better be what you wanted" Varion said with annoyance. The fight against the draugr overlord had been a tough one, he'd had to chug their last two healing potions after the sword cut halfway into his leg and chilled the injury. However, Faendal had sacrificed his bow by smashing the draugr in the head and Varion had taken advantage of that moment by tearing its head off. The loot had been good though, the chest had some nice steel plate gauntlets that Varion was now rocking and the frost sword had been a worthy trophy.

"Ah, the dragonstone! Impressive work Varion, seems you are above the usual brutes the jarl sends my way!" Farengar said excitedly. Varion rolled his eyes.

"_Good grief, if this guy ever gave out a genuine compliment, he would probably die on the spot,"_ he thought with irritation. He glanced at the woman.

"So, you braved Bleak Falls Barrow to get that stone?" she asked. Varion nodded once. "Hmph. Not bad" she said with no discernable emotion. She turned back to Farengar. "Send me a copy when you've deciphered it" she finished, leaning back over the table. Farengar opened his mouth to continue rambling, but Varion cut him off.

"Hey sideburns, what about my reward?" he asked sharply. Farengar glanced back at him, seemingly acknowledging his existence again.

"Oh yes, the jarl will pay you appropriately I'm sure" he said quickly, waving off Varion. The warrior clenched his fist, but said nothing. He swore he saw Faendal roll his eyes intensely in his peripheral vision. However, he then heard quick footsteps and saw Irileth run into the room.

"Farengar! Varion! You must come at once!" she said urgently, sounding panicked. Farengar looked over, seemingly concerned whereas Varions eyes narrowed.

"What's up?" he asked, interested in what could shake Irileth.

"The western watchtower, it's been attacked!" she explained.

"By who? Imperials? Stormcloaks?" Varion asked, wanting even more elaboration.

"It's not by who, but by what" she said ominously.

"Get to the damn point!" Varion said, agitated. Irileth took a breath to calm herself, then continued in her usual demeanor.

"The watchtower was attacked by a dragon!"

* * *

A/N:Good grief, the first dungeon crawl took a bit to get through! I'm gonna have most future ones set up like this, showing one or two interesting moments probably transitioned by fights. Dungeon crawls are boring to write and boring to read if I say every detail!

For the record, unless I specify "Greatsword", whenever I say "Varion drew his sword,'' I'm referring to his one handed sword, probably the one on his right!

Anyways, next time we'll have my first time ever writing a dragon fight! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I also hope you like the next one! Thanks for reading!

Dragon Language

Fus - Force (Unrelenting Force)


	8. Dragonborn Rising 2 - Dovahkiin

**Last time on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion and Faendal braved the dangers of Bleak Falls Barrow to retrieve the dragonstone, but while doing it, Varion also encountered a strange wall of words and one of them seemingly burned itself into his mind. Upon returning to Whiterun, Varion hears from Irileth that a watchtower outside of Whiterun was just attacked by a dragon...

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

"What? A dragon?" Varion questioned. He was sure she'd said that, but he didn't want to believe it. Irileth nodded.

"Yes. A soldier came barrelling into the hall a few minutes before you got back. He was beaten up badly. After some healing, he reported the accident. The dragon attacked the watchtower, burnt it to oblivion". Varions eyes widened.

_"How the hell did I not notice!?"_ he thought furiously. He'd seen some smoke coming from the distance as he approached Whiterun, but he'd seen no dragon amongst the night sky. He was pulled out of these thoughts by Farengar's stupid voice.

"A dragon? How amazing! What was it doing?" Varion could've smacked the man. How was that his main concern?

"Take this more seriously you idiot!" Irileth growled. "If the dragon chooses to attack Whiterun, what if we can't stop it?" she elaborated. Varion clenched his fist.

"Where's the dragon now?" he asked. Irileth turned to him, regarding him with surprise. "I said, where's the dragon. I'm gonna kill it" he announced. Her eyes widened.

"You'd really do that? Put yourself at such risk for Whiteruns sake?"

"I'll be damned if I let these stupid lizards ruin any more lives" Varion growled, flexing his fists. Irileth smirked at this and Farengar and his friend regarded Varion with renewed interest.

"Good to hear Varion!" Irileth said, clapping him on the shoulder. Follow me, the Jarl would like to brief us first". She took off at a run up to the upstairs level of Dragonsreach with Farengar close behind. Varion glanced at the hooded woman.

"You coming?" he asked. She scoffed.

"Of course not. This isn't my battle yet. The dragons can wait. Try not to get yourself killed" Varions eyes widened.

_"Did that bitch really just-"_ His thoughts were cut off as she walked briskly past him and towards the door. Varion glared at her back, then turned to Faendal. "I'm not gonna ask you to join me on this Faendal" he said. He wasn't going to drag the elf into this battle.

"Listen Varion, if you want my help, I will give you my help. This is the best time I've had in months, travelling with you, and fighting a dragon sounds like one excellent conclusion" he said, determination in his eyes. Varion's eyes widened. He smiled slightly.

"Your loyalty means a lot Faendal, but I've got a job for you. I want you back at Riverwood for this. After me, you're the best warrior who's been in that village. If the dragon beats us and attacks Riverwood, you and the guards can take it down" he said. The thought of losing appalled him, but he wasn't going to leave the closest thing he had to a home go defenceless. "After all, Sven is hardly a warrior" he thought sarcastically. Faendal reluctantly nodded.

"Alright. Be safe my friend!" he said with conviction, firmly shaking Varions hand in farewell.

"I'll come back to you with dragon bones or not at all" Varion declared grimly, returning the tight grip. Faendal turned his back and jogged out of the hall and Varion watched him go, praying that he wasn't going to need Faendal to put the dragon down.

X-X-X-X-X

As Varion and the guards ran across the fields outside of Whiterun, heading for the tower, day just began to break. Varion subconsciously adjusted his new armour as he ran. As reward for Bleak Falls Barrow, the Jarl had offered him a house to buy as well as given him some new armour. Varion hadn't quite expected to be given steel plate armour with a minor fire resistance enchantment, but he certainly hadn't been against the gift. The armour didn't slow him down any more than his old gear and the enchantment would help against dragon fire. The watchtower came into view and Varion took a deep breath to calm his nerves. As he stopped, the rest of the group stopped too. Irileth and a group of about 8 guards had been sent out to kill the dragon, Varion joining them too. "Well, at least the watchtowers still standing" Irileth commented.

"Gimme a break. This beast is just messing around…" Varion muttered. He'd seen Helgen, he knew that this was only a fraction of the destruction that a dragon could unleash. They moved in closer and Varion drew his new bow. He'd been lent an imperial one from the guard armoury, facing a flying creature with no ranged attacks was a foolish idea. As they approached, a guard left the watchtower, waving his arms desperately and shouting.

"NO! Get back! It's still out here!" he screamed, but a roar cut him off. Varions blood ran cold, and he looked towards the mountain that had bleak falls barrow on it. From the side of the mountain, a dragon emerged.

"Well, looks like it's here!" he shouted, drawing an arrow. Irileth drew her sword.

"Ready yourselves men! Make every arrow count! I want that beast down!" she cried, and at her words, the living watchtower guards drew their weapons and the new guards aimed their bows. As the dragon approached, they all let their arrows fly. Thankfully, Varions shot managed to hit, alongside around 4 others. However, the dragon barely reacted. As it approached, Varion could hear it speak.

"YOL…"

"Everyone get back!" he shouted. He'd heard the dragon at Helgen say the same thing before it attacked.

"TOOR SHUL!" As it roared these words, fire erupted from its mouth in a stream of blazing death. Varion had moved quick enough to dodge the flames, as did most of the soldiers, but one of them had failed to move and the flames engulfed him. Varion grimaced as his pained screams echoed in his ears, before dying out.

"You scaly bastard!" one of the soldiers screamed, and Varion ran for the watchtower while the dragon came down for another pass. He threw the door open and ran up the stairs.

_"I've gotta get higher up. With a vantage point, I can get more angles for my arrows"_ he thought as he ran. Reaching the top, he drew another arrow and aimed at the dragon. It was flying in place while breathing more fire at a group of soldiers. They dived and Varion could swear the dragon laughed. He growled and let the arrow fly. It lodged itself in the dragon's side and the creature glanced at his direction angrily. Varion had approximately 3 seconds to panic before the dragon shot fire at him. Thinking quickly, he lept into the staircase for cover, landing hard on the stones. He felt the heat, but the flames didn't touch him. _"Well, arrows don't do much to it. Maybe with a couple hundred, but there's no way we can fill him up like that"_ he pondered, using his brief moments of respite to strategise. He then thought of an idea. It was stupid. It was crazy. He loved it. He left cover slowly, but the dragon had already began focusing on another target.

"Aha!" it spoke. Varions eyes widened again, this thing could speak the common tongue? "I had forgotten what amusing sport you mortals make!" it sneered.

_"Who would've thought? This dragon is a cocky dick!"_ Varion thought angrily. The thoughts didn't distract him for long and he climbed onto what was left of the battlements surrounding the top level. He waited for the creature to make another pass. It took a while and as he heard more soldiers scream in pain, Varion could feel his rage building deep in his gut and his whole body felt hot. "HEY! YOU GIANT FLYING BASTARD! HIT ME!" he shouted, his voice emanating power. The dragon actually turned and looked at him, as did the soldiers. Varions battle cry had gotten the attention of everyone, and to a regular warrior, it would've been quite terrifying. Varion had intimidated many foes into standing down through shouting like that, but the dragon seemed to take it as a challenge. It flew directly at him, roaring as it did. Varion stared it down and drew his enchanted blade. As the dragon came too close for comfort, Varion jumped off the battlement back to the regular roof, now being lower down than the dragons flight path. He raised his sword and as the dragon flew over, he stabbed it into the beast's side with all his might. The blade stuck and Varion grinned, blood was flowing out of the wound. What he hadn't expected was for the dragon to keep going and he felt his feet leave the ground. The dragon continued it's path, roaring in pain, with a very pissed off Varion dangling from the sword stuck in its side.

X-X-X-X-X

"Give me a frickin break!" Varion shouted. His grip on his sword was tight and the blade was thoroughly stuck in the dragon. It had frozen the area, so it wasn't coming out any time soon. Sadly, Varion was stuck hanging onto it from one hand as the dragon flew around in agony. After about 20 seconds, Varion had toned out his anger and fear and tried to find a way down without dying. He glanced around, he was far too high to drop. The dragon was continuing it's battle against the whiterun guards and Irileth, but it was moving far slower than before. _"Well, silver lining"_ Varion thought sarcastically. He glanced down at his belt. He had one sword left and a dagger on his thigh. He grinned and drew the dagger. He managed to swing a bit on his sword without falling, getting barely closer to the wing, but it was enough. Varion stabbed the orcish dagger straight into the underside of the beasts wing and then tore it out. He continued doing this in several spots and based off the dragons pained roars, it was working. He sheathed the dagger and drew his sword, doing the same tactic. However, the sword managed to pierce straight through the dragons weaker wing scales and came out the top. He suddenly felt the dragon veer to the right. The left wing, the one now riddled with holes and leaking blood, was flapping really awkwardly, clearly injured. The dragon veered towards the ground, barely able to control it's descent.

"I WILL DEVOUR YOU ANTS!" it screamed. Varion didn't really care about the beast, it had killed innocent people and it would kill many more if left unchecked. Varion judged the distance he was from the ground and pushed off of the dragon with his free hand. The sword came free and he fell. He landed and tried to do a combat roll, but the impact was too great. He ended up rolling sloppily over his side before coming to a rest after hitting a rock. For a few moments, all Varion felt was a very sore body. He cast the one healing spell he knew and the pain began to dull, but at a very slow rate. His vision began to clear and he saw the downed dragon engaging in combat with the guards. Having lost its ability to fly, the beast was doing far more poorly. As Varion healed enough to shakily stand, he saw blood pouring from several wounds on the creature. The guards were taking it down slowly, though the corpses lying around indicated that it was still a fairly undecided battle. Varion attempted to keep healing, but the spell fizzled out and a wave of dizziness hit him for a few moments.

_"Of course, my magickas running dry"_ he thought tiredly, but he managed to remain on his feet. He drank a minor magicka potion he'd been saving and felt the dizziness fade. He then began stumbling forward, picking up his sword that had fallen nearby. "Alright hot stuff, you're not killing anyone else" he thought angrily. His pace increased, anger aiding his movement. As he reached the dragon, he saw it turn to Irileth. She slashed outwards with her orcish sword and the dragon recoiled, sporting a new cut. Varion admired her spirit, but he knew she couldn't last long in a 1v1. He stabbed his blade into the point where it's tail connected to its body and used that as a climbing point to mount the creature. He left the blade in there and saw the wound begin to freeze. The dragon thrashed, but Varion crawled forwards on its back. He slowly drew his great sword as he approached its neck. Irileth saw him and redoubled her attack on the dragon. She rolled to dodge it's bite attack, then drove her sword into its chin. The dragon groaned in pain and it's head slumped to the ground, seemingly stunned.

"I am a dragon!" it roared. "You ants cannot put me down!" Varion growled and shakily stood up on its neck just behind the head, grasping one of the beasts horns for support. He felt the creature tense. The dragon had been so distracted by Irileth, the arrows landing in its body and the sword in it's tail that it hadn't noticed the nord on it's back until now.

"You're a piece of ancient history. I'm burying you with the rest of it!" Varion roared and drove his greatsword down with a mighty thrust. It pierced the beasts hide and went straight into its skull. The dragon gave one mighty roar and shook ferociously, sending Varion tumbling. He landed heavily again and he swore that his right arm felt abnormally numb, but he shakily got to his feet and stumbled away from the dragon. However, something weird happened. The beast gazed directly at Varion, and a new expression crossed it's face. Fear.

"Dovahkiin?" the beast roared with terror in it's tone. "NOOOOOO…" The final scream of defiance faded as the dragon collapsed and life faded from its eyes. Varion was faintly aware of Irileth walking behind him.

"Excellent work everyone!" she cheered and he heard the cries of triumph from the living soldiers. He grinned, but his vision was blurry again and he really didn't feel so well. However, he then saw the dragons body glow like it was on fire. He squinted. The beast was disintegrating, leaving only it's skeleton behind. Waves of energy flew off of it, and they all seemed to be entering him. His eyes widened, but he had no urge to step back. He heard Irileth make some panicked order, but he couldn't focus on her words. The energy entering him from the dragon, it felt amazing. His vision cleared once more, his arm regained feeling, he didn't feel any pain. It was like he was fully healed. However, something then flashed into his mind. The word at bleak falls barrow was at the forefront of his thoughts and he visualised a miniature word wall in front of him. The word lit up again in this vision or hallucination, and he could read it, same as before. However, he now understood it. He somehow felt the word resonate throughout him. Fus. Force. The vision was fleeting and only lasted for a few moments, but the resonating feeling was still very much there. He was stunned at it, and turned his head to the sky. Instinctively, Varion drew breath, tensed, then spoke.

"FUS!" he shouted, and as he did, energy came from his mouth. A wave of forceful energy traveled into the sky and faded out. Varion was stunned. He had no damn idea what was going on, but it felt amazing. He saw a guard come over, looking at him in awe.

"I can't believe it," the man said in pure amazement. "You, are a Dragonborn!" Varions eyes narrowed.

"I'm what?" he asked, puzzled. The guard explained.

"In ancient times, there were heroes that could kill dragons and absorb their power. You just did that!" he said, gesturing excitedly. Varion pondered this. He supposed the guard was right, what other explanation could there be?

"You might be right" he muttered, mainly to himself rather than the guard.

"Of course I am! You couldn't shout before, and you can do it now! That means you must be Dragonborn!" he proclaimed enthusiastically. Varion nodded, turning away from the guard and gazing at the sky, then shook his head. Despite the action, he was grinning with excitement.

"Good grief. This changes things up a little"

* * *

A/N:So, a dragon fight! Varion's newest tactic is revealed, coming up with crazy plans that would never be approved of in a million years and somehow making them work! I hope the fight was engaging enough for you, I'll try to make each dragon fight different and awesome! For those wondering about Varions shout in the middle of the fight, notice that I used the phrase "battle cry" soon afterwards? I'm incorporating the racial abilities, and the nords is battle cry. Essentially they can just shout really loud and the force behind it can terrify weaker enemies. It's useful for if Varion needs to intimidate someone, which is that he used it for in the past.

So, Varion has found out he's a Dragonborn. The world of skyrim is really starting to open up to him now! Leave ideas for what he can do next!

The whole unlocking the word scene was written all in one go on a whim, let me know how it was. It won't be repeated again, it'll be far shorter and simplified in future chapters!

Leave a review, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next time!

Dragon Language

Fus - Force (Unrelenting Force)

Yol Toor Shul - Fire Inferno Sun (Fire Breath)

* * *

**Next time on the Legend of Varion…**

Varion trudged through the plains district, putting the recent interaction at the back of his mind. No doubt the Jarl would want to hear about this fight, and he was more than willing to inform him. After all, this was a mighty deed, the whole city had been saved! Plus, the fact that he was apparently some ancient nord hero type being was probably newsworthy too. However, he was just passing by the house for sale when the whole world seemed to shake with power. Varion stumbled and he saw people in the market fall over from the vibrations. He steadied his feet, the sound seemed to be coming from the mountain. As the vibrations subsided, he heard three powerful words echo throughout the land, coming from the peak of the throat of the world.

"DO VAH KIIN!"


	9. Dragonborn Rising 3 - The Summons

**Last Time on The Legend Of Varion…**

Varion, Irileth and the city guard managed to slay a dragon attacking a Whiterun watchtower. When they killed it, Varion absorbed some kind of power from it, and now finds his voice has the power to emit force. The guards say that he could be dragonborn…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"Listen, I just killed a dragon. Your problems can wait" Varion said tiredly as he waved off the redguards. The second he'd walked into the city, these weirdly dressed guys with curved swords had started harassing him about some woman they were looking for. Varion didn't know if they were mercenaries, creeps looking for some hot chick or some crazy cultists or whatever, and at the moment he didn't much care.

"Hmph! Fine" one of them grunted, scowling. "If you finish with your 'important business', come find us in Rorikstead if you find her. We'll pay for information" he continued and they stormed out of the city. Varion raised an eyebrow, but quickly shook his head and carried on walking through the plains district.

"_The power of the voice. I remember it from long ago, it's amazing! Now I can wield it?"_ he thought more enthusiastically. The power of the voice was something of a fascination of his from when he was a child, but he never imagined that he'd have the power to use it himself. Could he learn more words? Were there more of those weird glowing walls? Varion past by the house for sale, Breezehome, putting these questions at the back of his mind. No doubt the Jarl would want to hear about this fight, and he was more than willing to inform him. After all, this was a mighty deed, the whole city had been saved! Plus, the fact that he was apparently some ancient nord hero type being was probably newsworthy too. "_Maybe these guys can fill me in a bit better than all those guards"_ he thought hopefully. However, as he was walking past Belathors shop, the whole world seemed to shake with power. Varion stumbled and he saw people in the market fall over from the vibrations. He steadied his feet, the sound seemed to be coming from the mountain. As the vibrations subsided, he heard three powerful words echo throughout the land, coming from the peak of the throat of the world.

"DO VAH KIIN!" Varions eyes widened. That was the tongue of the dragons, he was sure of it. He couldn't quite understand it perfectly, but he could recognise the language instantly now. He looked around, the marketplace had stopped shaking and people were starting to get back up, though they were understandably confused.

"What the?"

"What just happened?"

"Was that a greybeard?" Varion wasn't sure what aged facial hair had to do with anything, but he didn't think any further into it. He walked over to Carlotta and helped her back to her feet.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you Varion" she said, giving him an appreciative smile. He nodded. "What was that?" she asked. He glanced back at the mountain.

"Don't know. Something or someone just shouted in the dragon language from the throat of the world. Didn't sound like a dragon though" he replied, mainly to himself. "Excuse me, but I've gotta get to the jarl" Varion finished, jogging towards Dragonsreach.

"_Gimme a break. I should've known killing a dragon wouldn't make things any calmer around here!"_

**X-X-X-X-X**

"The greybeards must've been summoning you!" Balgruuf said, excitement in his voice. Varion tilted his head. After reporting back to the jarl about the dragon and the shouting, this had not been the reaction he'd expected.

"Who are the greybeards?" he asked. He swore the name sounded a tiny bit familiar, but right now he was just imagining the Jarls facial hair in about 30 years.

"An order of monks who live at High Hrothgar, on the throat of the world" Balgruuf explained. "They are masters of the way of the voice, and the art of shouting". Varion perked up at that. He'd heard something about monks practicing the voice, but it had been so long ago that he'd nearly forgotten all about it.

"So, why were they summoning me?" Varion asked. "_Could they want to teach me?"_

"That's their business. Not ours" he said.

"You heard the summons. The greybeards were calling you, the dragonborn to High Hrothgar, just as they did to Tiber Septim!" the jarls brother, Hrongar, spoke up. Varion took it all in, confused and kind of excited at the same time.

"When you killed the dragon, it awoke something in you, and the greybeards heard it. Go, Dragonborn. Travel to High Hrothgar, learn what the greybeards can teach you. It's a tremendous honour to be summoned" Balgruuf said. Varion thought about all this.

"_It's crazy to think about. I'm Dragonborn, and now these greybeards, masters of the voice, summon me to their mountain?"_ He'd noticed the jarl was still speaking, but the faraway look in his eyes inferred that it was him just speaking, not really holding conversation.

"You've done a great service for my city Varion, and such service must be rewarded!" At these words, Varion turned his full attention back to the Jarl. Sure, it may have been rude to tone him out like that, but he killed a dragon. In his mind, he was entitled to be a bit more casual around the Jarl now. "By my right as Jarl, I name you thane of Whiterun! It's the highest honour that's within my power to grant!" he announced with pride in his voice as he stood up, offering a hand to Varion. He took it and they shook hands firmly.

"Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf. I promise to protect Whiterun in the future" Varion swore, meaning every word.

"Ah, I'll sleep easier with you on my side" the Jarl replied. "Later, I'll take you down to the armory. You can pick out a new weapon as your badge of office! Also, if you want to purchase property in the city, speak with Proventus. I think we can work out a discount for the Dragonborn". Varion smiled, this thane business was pretty awesome so far. "I'll tell my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them to think you're a common mercenary, now would we?" he jested. Varion nodded in agreement.

"Anything else my Jarl?" he asked. Balgruuf's brow furrowed for a moment.

"Ah yes! What good thane lacks a housecarl?" he asked. Varion tilted his head.

"A what?" He asked, confused at the weird title.

"Oh, a housecarl is a loyal servant, powerful in battle. Sworn to guard you and your belongings" Balgruuf explained. "I'll assign Lydia to you, she's the finest warrior we have in training for the role of housecarl" he announced proudly. Varion nodded slowly.

"So this girl now works for me? Willingly?" he asked. Having another companion would be nice, but he didn't want to own a slave.

"She was trained by Irileth for the job, and she seemed rather enthusiastic" Balgruuf said. "Ah, Irileth was her hero. She would've done anything to be like her. Serving you will be an honour" he reassured Varion, seemingly picking up on what troubled the Dragonborn. Varion nodded a bit more surely this time.

"When will I meet her?"

"I'd give it about a day, just give her a bit of time to say goodbye and to get her gear. If you would remain in the city until tomorrow, that would be appreciated" Balgruuf said. Varion nodded.

"I'll just crash at the inn. See you tomorrow Balgruuf" he said, giving half a bow before turning and starting to walk out of Dragonsreach.

"Wait a moment!" Balgruuf called. Varion turned around, raising an eyebrow at him. "Let's see about your new weapon!" Varion grinned. He was always down to look at new gear.

**X-X-X-X-X**

He'd barely made it into the bar before he heard a chorus of welcomes. The citizens clapped him on the shoulder, shouting praise after praise. Varion was quite overwhelmed in all honesty. He knew that defeating a dragon would earn him a bit of credit, but being treated as a citywide hero? "_Good grief"_ he thought. "_This might take getting used to.''_

"Ah! The saviour of Whiterun!" Hulda called. "You here for the night? If you are, you can have the room for free!" she added. Varion nodded in thanks, still irritated by the amount of attention. He was honestly uncomfortable, he didn't know how to react to all this. He breathed deeply.

"_Come on! You can stare down a dragon, but this crowd is giving you anxiety?"_ he scolded himself. With little effort thanks to his strength, he shoved his way through the crowd and took a seat at the bar. This seemed to calm the citizens down, at least they could respect his wish for some privacy. Varion pressed a hand to his forehead and called for a glass of water.

"Not a fan of the fame?" Hulda asked. He shook his head.

"I'm not much for the social scene. Sure, I'm fine around crowds, but when they're all focused on me…" he trailed off. Hulda nodded in understanding and passed him his drink. He down it in one gulp, then noticed a woman in steel plate armour in the corner of the bar. Thinking back, he remembered throwing her into a wall a couple of nights ago, though she had given him a good jab to the cheek. He stood up and made his way over to her. She glanced up from her drink at him and her eyes narrowed.

"You're that guy who started the bar fight the other night, aren't you?" she said, no discernable emotion in her voice. Varion shifted his stance slightly to allow for a solid kick to her face if need be.

"I only meant to smash that bitch of a bard" Varion said emotionlessly. Behind him, he swore he heard a squeak of anger and fear come out of Mikael. He'd been the one other person in the bar besides this woman to not come congratulate Varion, instead choosing to sit in the corner and scowl. "I didn't mean to get hit with a lute and stumble into you" he said, deeming it a sufficient apology. They stared at each other for a few moments before the women roared with laughter.

"Ah, no matter! It was an excellent fight!" she said, her voice filled with admiration. "That little milk-drinker had it coming, and I haven't had such a good brawl in weeks! My names Uthgerd," she said, standing up and offering a hand to Varion. He shook it, letting out an unnoticeable sigh of relief.

"Thanks, but I'd still rather keep my fights one on one. I'm Varion," he said, releasing her hand.

"Why bother with that? I saw your skill, you fight like a demon" Uthgerd complimented. Varion shrugged.

"You should see me when I try" he said, smirking a tiny bit. Uthgerd's eyes widened, then she resumed her usual expression.

"I like your fire. If you ever need a hand killing something, do let me know. I wouldn't mind seeing how you handle yourself against a troll or something," she offered. Varion grinned slightly and nodded.

"I appreciate the offer. If I need an extra blade, I'll keep you in mind," he said, turning away. He sat down in a chair opposite Uthgerd and they talked for a while, discussing kills and weapon choices. Though he did have a feat to top all of hers, killing a dragon, Varion could respect her spirit, even after he learned it got her in trouble. After a while, Uthgerd called over the serving girl, a young redguard woman apparently called Saadia. Varion glanced at her as she walked over.

"Saadia, I'll have a mead" Uthgerd said, tossing her a few gold. "You want anything?" she asked Varion. He shook his head, but looked at Saadia a while longer. He remembered the curved sword guys from the start of the day, and internally shrugged. What was the harm in asking?

"Hey, I ran into some guys at the gate. Said they were looking for a redguard woman in Whiterun. You know anything about that?" he asked her. The woman's eyes widened rapidly and a brief look of panic came onto her face. Varion frowned at this, but Saadia's expression returned to neutral very quickly.

"Excuse me sir, can I please have a word with you?" she said. Varion tilted his head, but shrugged and stood up to follow her, nodding to Uthgerd as he did.

"_Gimme a break. What now?"_ He followed Saadia upstairs into his room for the night and at her request, he shut the door behind him. What he didn't expect was for her to immediately shove him into the closed door and hold a dagger to his exposed throat.

"So, they found me did they?! How many are there? Did they offer you gold? Answer me!" she hissed violently. Varion took a second to analyse the situation, then grabbed the arm with the dagger. He twisted it outwards, away from his neck, then he grabbed her by the throat. He stepped forwards and swept his leg back, sweeping her feet forward and causing her to fall. He used his hand on her throat to increase her descent speed and she slammed into the floor with a thud.

"You should've known better than to try to attack me, you weakling!" Varion growled ferociously. He wasn't applying pressure on her throat, but he was holding her down by her dagger holding arm and he placed a knee on her stomach, ready to dig it in at a moments notice.

"Sor- Sorry! Didn't kno- Know if I co- Could trust you!" she wheezed, struggling to get the words out. Varion relented and stood up, though he immediately drew a greatsword from his back. His new greatsword, courtesy of the Jarl of Whiterun, was a fearsome thing to behold. The greatsword was of Dwarven make and it bore a powerful fire enchantment. He could feel the heat of the blade as he held it, ready to slice Saadia in half at a moments notice.

"Start talking quickly!" he threatened. "I just got this sword and I can't wait to test it out!" Saadia was clearly terrified now.

"Look, my life is in danger! I couldn't be sure you weren't trying to kill me!" she pleaded, trying to explain herself. Varions frown didn't lessen. "Ok, back in Hammerfell some time ago, I spoke out against the Thalmor. I was forced to flee from them, and they're sending assassins to finally take me out!" she said, slowly calming down. Varion had been ready to beat her senseless and blame it on falling down the stairs, but at the mention of the Thalmor, his blood ran hot with anger.

"The Thalmor? Those bastards are the ones behind this?" he asked through gritted teeth. He lowered his sword slightly.

"Yes. They've been hunting me. I thought that Skyrim would be safe, but they've finally caught up to me. I need your help!" she begged. Varion thought about it.

"Fine. I'll help you. What do I need to do?" She breathed a sigh of relief.

"These men are known as the Alik'r. They're lead by a man called Kematu. Kill him, and these assassins will flee, like any cowardly mercenaries!" she said.

"So how do I find this guy?" Varion asked. He didn't really care for Saadia's plight, but he was more than happy to be a pain in the ass of the Thalmor.

"Well, after a skirmish a few weeks ago, one of his men was arrested. He's still in the prison" Saadia explained. "If you can get Kematu's location out of him, you can put him down" she said with anger in her voice. It was clear that she despised these men.

"I'd better get something out of this," he said, narrowing his eyes. She sighed.

"I managed to smuggle some of my families wealth out of Hammerfell when I fled. I will give you a portion if you succeed" she said, a bit dejectedly. It seemed that she had hoped to appeal to the goodness of Varions heart.

"_If she'd wanted that, she should've thought twice before pulling a dagger on me" _he thought annoyedly. "Fine. I'll take care of it eventually" Varion said. Her eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean eventually? These assassins could come for me at any moment!" she cried.

"I've got greybeards to see, housecarls to meet. My schedules full up" he said tiredly. He was really ready to sleep. He may have cast healing spells and chugged healing potions like crazy to heal his wounds from the dragon, but it didn't have quite the same refreshing effect as a good night's sleep. Saadia however wasn't having it.

"I am paying you for this! You will find Kematu immedi-"  
"SHUT UP! IF YOU'RE GONNA BE THIS BITCHY, MAYBE YOU SHOULD FIND SOMEONE ELSE!" Varion shouted at her. He sensed that his voice probably going to attract attention, but he didn't care. "Listen, I'll kill this guy to take down the Thalmor. Helping you is a byproduct. Got it? Don't act like you're in charge!" he said, his voice steeled with barely restrained anger. He heard footsteps come up the stairs, but he stuck his head out the door. Hulda was standing there, a look of concern.

"Excuse me Varion, what are you doing? Is Saadia in there?" she asked, worry in her voice. Varion sighed.

"_Good freakin grief" _he muttered internally. "We're having a bit of a debate. Important thane business. Give me some privacy?" he asked, softening his tone a lot. Hulda sighed.

"Alright then, I'll trust you. Please keep your voice down" she begged. Varion nodded, then shut the door and looked back at Saadia.

"Do we have an agreement?" he asked with no readable tone to his voice.

"Yes. My apologies" she said, offering a hand. "Being on the run for so long, it makes you tense". Varions gaze softened slightly. He could understand that fear. He shook her hand, then gestured at the door.

"I'll forget about your attitude and I'll let you know when these guys are dead," he said. "Now get out. I don't want you watching me sleep". What he said could've been a joke, but his tone was so neutral that it didn't come off as one. Saadia nodded reluctantly, sighing in relief yet again and she headed out the door. Varion rolled his eyes and flexed his shoulders. "God damn it. What a freakin pain" he muttered, kicking off his boots and armour. He fell onto the bed and was out within a minute, eager to put an end to the extremely tiring day.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Entering Dragonsreach again felt like a very familiar task to Varion at this point. He'd probably been to the cloud district more times in the last few days than Nazeem had been in his entire life. He greeted the jarl, gave a nod to Farengar, then waited around in a chair to wait for Lydia. He was nodding off, but suddenly heard a cough behind him. He spun around and saw the cougher. She was a young Nord woman clad in steel armour. Her medium length black hair had one braid to the left of her face and she carried a steel shield. Varion stood to greet her. "The jarl has appointed me to be your housecarl" she said nervously. Varion raised an eyebrow. "It's an honour to serve you" she finished, absentmindedly adjusting her shield. Varion held out his hand.

"You must be Lydia. My name is Varion. Good to meet you" he said. She took his hand gingerly and shook it. "I'm new to this whole Thane thing. What exactly do you do?" he asked curiously.

"Well, as my thane, I'm sworn to your service. I'll protect you and what you own. Any order you give, I will carry out as best I can" she said. Varion nodded.

"Well Lydia, care to join me on an adventure?" he asked. "I've got a house to buy, but after that, I'm climbing up the throat of the world. It'd be good to have a skilled warrior at my back" he added, giving her a small smile. She met his eyes and nodded.

"As you wish, my thane". Varion turned and walked up the stairs to Proventus, Lydia following him. After purchasing the house for 2,000 gold, a massively discounted price, he thanked the steward and jogged to his new house. He found Breezehome right next to Adriannes forge and he entered the house, only to immediately run into a cobweb and groan. His house wasn't really much to look at. It had stairs and a fair amount of space, but there was almost nothing in it whatsoever. He trudged up the stairs and saw a chest in what he assumed was meant to be his bedroom, though there wasn't a bed there.

"Good grief. I guess the discount money's all gonna go towards furnishings" he muttered. He opened his chest and took out the iron and gold ingots he'd been carrying around since Bleak Falls Barrow, as well as his dragon bones. He heard Lydia gasp behind him. "Something up?" he asked without turning around.

"My thane, you carry around all this yourself?" she asked with some form of disbelief in her voice. Varion was confused by her question.

"Well, yeah. How else am I gonna get it from place to place?" he asked.

"Well, someone as important as a thane shouldn't have to carry such weight" Lydia said. "As a housecarl, I am sworn to carry your burdens. I could've assisted you with the task my thane" she said. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, and as an adventurer, I'm used to carrying heavy loads. Relax Lydia, I'm not helpless" he said, finishing depositing his stuff before turning around. Lydia still had a perplexed look on her face. "Ok, spill. What's with that face? You never heard of a guy carrying his own stuff?" he asked, a tiny bit annoyed. Lydia recoiled slightly.

"Well, no. It's just that, when I was being trained, I was told that many thanes are important members of government, that they would see this as beneath them. Many of the thanes that visited the jarl when I was younger were all weakling milk drin-" Before she could finish her sentence, Lydia's eyes went wide and she froze. Varions own eyes widened in alarm.

"What's wrong? What happened?" he asked, concern in his voice. Lydia immediately knelt in front of Varion who was getting more confused by the second.

"Forgive me thane. I have spoken ill of the nobles of skyrim. I promise, it won't happen again!" Lydia said, panic in her voice. Varion raised his eyebrows.

"The hell are you talking about? I'm not angry?" he said. Lydia glanced up.

"My thane, it is improper of a housecarl to speak of skyrim's nobles in such a degrading way" she explained. Varion sighed in frustration.

"Ok, Lydia, get up. Stop kneeling" he commanded. She stood up nervously. "_Good grief. If this keeps up, she's not gonna make it to combat"_ he thought dejectedly. "Listen, do I look like a stuck up politician? You may be a housecarl, and I may be a thane, but I'm not gonna snap at you if you speak wrong. If you want to say something, say something. Believe me, I'm no fan of those pricks either" he reassured, offering his hand to her again. She looked at it unsurely.

"I've wanted to serve a great hero since I was a girl. I don't want to mess up" she admitted, looking down sadly. Varion reached out and clapped her on the shoulder.

"You won't. Not if you believe you won't. I live my life by a code, and that code is that in this life, you've gotta forge your own path. If the path you want is that of my housecarl, then I want you to be the best damn housecarl Skyrims ever seen. Alright?" he said, more gently than he'd spoken in days. Lydia looked up, finally smiling again. She nodded, and Varion smiled at her as well.

"Yes my thane. I'll make you proud!" she declared fiercely.

"I've no doubt about it" Varion replied. "Now, let's go climb a mountain!"

* * *

A/N:Ah, the first chapter with no major fight! Don't get used to these…

So Varion now has a house, a new companion and several new quests to do! Again, your input decides what he'll do next, or it influences it a bit!

Lydia's going to be a pretty big character in this story! I hope you guys like her development as we see her in future chapters! Don't worry, Faendals still gonna be here! Varion's not gonna forget his elf buddy!

Thanks a lot for watching and I will see you in the next chapter! Peace out!

Dragon Language

Do Vah Kiin - Dragonborn


	10. Way of the Voice 1 - 7,000 Steps

**Last time on Varions Bizarre Adventure…**

Varion met a fighty woman, met a bitchy woman, met a nice woman and bought a house. Exciting times, but Whiterun only has so many adventures to offer. In order to seek further purpose, Varion heads to the greybeards at High Hrothgar…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

Varion breathed deeply as he walked across the bridge over the stream. Behind him, Lydia followed a few steps behind, and behind both of them was Whiterun. They'd only been on the road for a few minutes and he guessed they'd be on there for many more before they reached Ivarstead. He'd asked around a bit and found out that the 7,000 steps started from that village, so Ivarstead was his destination. As they reached the crossroads, Varion turned back to check on Lydia. The girl hadn't said much yet, and while he didn't mind the silence he would've also appreciated her lightening up a bit. "Hey Lydia, we go left here for Ivarstead" he said, breaking the minute long silence.

"Of course my thane" she replied. Varion resisted rolling his eyes, the 'my thane' thing was gonna get a bit old. "However, we should be cautious. Bandits have been sighted along this road" she noted. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"_Maybe we'll get some entertainment,"_ he thought. "Well, if they get in our way, we'll deal with them" Varion shrugged, turning and continuing down the road. Lydia now walked next to him, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Varion smirked. She was taking the whole 'protect you with my life' thing quite seriously.

"So, if we get into a fight, I'm gonna assume you can handle yourself?" he asked.

"I assure you thane, I can take care of myself rather well" Lydia reassured, sounding almost a little prideful.

"Perhaps one day we should spar each other," Varion suggested. "I'd like to see just how good you are," he added.

"My thane, I could never raise my blade against you" Lydia replied, sounding slightly mortified at the idea. Varion hid his disappointment.

"Well, the options on the table," he shrugged, but before he could continue, he saw a large stone tower ahead on the road. Squinting a bit, Varion could see some people clad in fur armour standing across the road next to the tower clad in fur armour with weapons drawn.

"My thane. Do you see them?" Lydia asked, gripping her sword handle.

"Yeah, bandits by the looks of it. Let's see what they want first" Varion said, giving her a slight hand signal to lower her weapon. As they approached, one of the bandits walked up to them.

"Hold travellers! This is our road see, if you want to get past, you gotta pay the toll!" he shouted. He was a big ugly imperial with a steel warhammer and a massive scar across his chest.

"_You survived whatever gave you that, and that wasn't enough of a sign that you should pick a peaceful lifestyle?" _Varion thought sarcastically. Lydia growled, but Varion glanced at her, telling her wordlessly to let him handle things. "How about you let me and my partner go through for nothing?" he asked, standing to his full height. The bandit sneered at him and twirled the warhammer.

"You got a death wish? You pay with money or pay with your life!" he growled. Varion rolled his eyes and drew one of his swords.

"Thanks to your attitude, I now make you the same offer," he said, his voice emotionless. "Give me all your gold and we'll let you live" he finished. The bandits eyes widened slightly before his cocky grin returned.

"Check out this dick! Thinks he's some kind of big shot? Get him lads! Him and the bitch!" Varion's eyes narrowed and he concentrated, feeling power build inside himself.

"FUS!" he shouted. Just like before, a wave of powerful energy burst forth with his word and slammed into the bandit. Because he was caught so off guard, the unfortunate imperial stumbled and fell. Within seconds, Varion closed the gap and with a single slash, the imperial's body and head were now metres apart. He grinned savagely, then glanced towards the other bandits that had just came out of the tower to see their taxman be killed. "So, who's next?" he taunted. The bandits all charged and Lydia ran in to meet them. An orc swung his sword downwards but Lydia deflected it off her shield like it was nothing. She then rammed the shield into his chest before bringing her sword around and impaling him through the heart. She then tore the blade out and back stepped out of range of a mace swing coming from a female khajiit bandit. Varion watched her with interest, she clearly knew how to fight. He rushed in and slammed into the Khajiit with his shoulder, knocking her off her feet. He steadied himself, then stabbed her through the face with his blade. He glanced over to see Lydia decapitate yet another bandit, bringing the remaining bandit count down to three. Varion deflected a slash from one of them before bringing up his foot and slamming it into the bandits groin. The poor fool doubled over in pain before Varion grabbed his head with his free hand and slammed it into the ground hard enough to make a sickening crack. He heard a grunt of pain and assumed Lydia had made short work of the second remaining enemy. He then turned his attention to the last one. This guy was more heavily armoured than the others, rocking dwarven gauntlets and iron for his other pieces. "_Probably the chief"_ Varion theorised.

"I'm gonna kill you!" he roared, clearly angered at the slaughter of his minions. Varion flexed his shoulders and drew breath.

"FUS!" The bandit stumbled under the force, but remained on his feet. Varion tilted his head to the side. He felt amusement at the bandits resistance. "_Perhaps I should play with this fool a bit. See just how much he can take…"_ Varion debated to himself. As soon as he felt that, he internally scolded himself. "_What was that? I like fighting, yeah, but I'm not sadistic!"_ he thought, beating himself up over that dark thought. He shook his head, then drew breath again. "FUS!" he shouted, though as he did, his throat suddenly grew sore and the breath left his body. His eyes widened and he collapsed to the ground, struggling to draw breath. Varion did his best to get a breathing rhythm, vaguely hearing Lydia off to the side of him fighting the bandit. The pain was going away quickly, but it had been so sudden and so violent that he'd been floored by it.

"My thane, what's wrong?" Lydia asked worriedly, extending her hand. He glanced over and saw the bandit lying dead with a missing arm and a hole through his face. Varion grasped it and stumbled back to his feet.

"I'm ok, that was just a shock" he replied, getting his voice back slowly. "_So, it seems that this power isn't as easy to use as I hoped"_ he thought sadly. It seemed his body could only take so many shouts at a time. He'd only been winded now, but he didn't want to imagine how bad it could be if he used more power.

"Are you sure?" Lydia asked, scanning Varion for damage. Her eyes met his and Varion was touched by the concern they showed.

"I'll be alright. Come on, long road ahead" he said, reassuring her as best he could. He clapped Lydia on the shoulder, took the dead bandit chiefs coin purse and carried on towards his destination, thinking about the limits of his new power the whole time.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Of course, his road wasn't going to be any clearer. It had been less than an hour before Varion saw a group of 4 men and women come marching down the path ahead. Upon squinting a bit, Varion clenched his fist. These were all stormcloaks, the armour was a dead giveaway. "Something wrong thane?" Lydia asked, having noticed his movement. He glanced back at her.

"Stormcloaks. Keep your blade sheathed, but if I attack, send them to Sovngarde" he commanded. She nodded and he turned his attention back towards the soldiers.

"Hold there kinsman!" one of them called and Varion stopped, turning to face him.

"Something wrong?" he asked casually.  
"Oh not yet. We're just a border patrol, need to check you before you can come into the rift" he explained. Varion kicked himself. Iverstead was outside of Whiterun meaning there'd be stupid politics he'd have to go through to get in. He rolled his eyes, this could take a while. "Now, what is your reason for entering the rift?" he asked.

"We're on our way to High Hrothgar. To do that, we gotta get through Ivarstead" Varion answered. "I'm Varion, thane of Whiterun. This is Lydia, my friend and housecarl" he continued, gesturing to her. She smiled at his addressing her as a friend, but his eyes never left the stormcloaks (well, the eyeholes of his helmet).

"I see thane, but your title means little in the Rift. I assume you know this is a stormcloak hold? You aren't imperials, are you?" he asked menacingly. Varion could only roll his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, got it. No, I'm not a legionnaire. No I'm not a Thalmor. No I don't have a massive bounty on my head" he said tiredly. "Can we speed this up?" The soldier shook his head tiredly.

"Calm down kinsman. Is there anything else we should know before we make the decision to let you cross holds?" Varion dropped his tired gaze and smirked.

"Would you deny the dragonborn?" he asked challengingly. He saw the stormcloak soldiers react to that a bit.

"The dragonborn? What are you talking about?" the questioning guard asked, clearly not buying it.

"You know how the Whiterun guards put down a dragon? Well, I'm the one who finished it off, and I took it's soul" Varion explained. He then turned his head to the sky. "FUS!" The wave of energy erupted from his mouth and shot into the sky. The soldiers all recoiled in shock. Varion grinned. "So, what do you think?" he asked. The questioner recovered.

"Well, it all seems to be in order. Just keep out of trouble while you're here" he warned. "Even if you are a dragonborn, we don't tolerate misconduct in our hold" he finished.

"I would never dream of it!" Varion replied, not bothering to hide his sarcasm. The soldiers grunted and moved on. Varion let out a sigh of exhaustion. "Gimme a break. These guys are annoying" he moaned. Lydia tapped him on the shoulder.

"My thane, are you sure it's wise to go around advertising the fact that you are Dragonborn?" she asked. Varion shrugged.

"Well, I have no reason to hide it. If anything, maybe this'll make them think twice before attacking" he said, trying to justify his reasoning. Deep down, he still felt the uncomfortable feeling of immense pride and confidence in his power. He'd said that bravado because during that exchange, he'd been looking down on the soldiers, like they were ants next to his almighty power. "_But that's not me" _he thought. "_I'm not an egotistical tyrant, why do I have these thoughts all of a sudden? Could it be my dragon soul?"_ he questioned internally. "I'll ask the greybeards" he muttered under his breath before rolling his shoulders and continuing down the path, Lydia following him as always.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Ivarstead wasn't that impressive of a village, not even compared to Riverwood. Varion walked into the town, gazing around at everything it had to offer, which wasn't much. However, he saw a bridge leading over a stream, and beyond that, some stone steps. "Well, that looks promising" Varion muttered to himself and he went to walk over the bridge. However, he then heard a roar from under the bridge, causing him to cease walking.

"My thane? What's wrong?" Lydia asked, gripping her sword in anticipation of an attack.

"Lydia. There's something under the bridge. I'll draw it out, you get the bow" he ordered, planning to lure the creature into Lydia's range. He drew his frost sword and jumped off the edge of the bridge, landing ankle deep in water. He gazed under the bridge and saw a bear standing there, glaring at him. "Well, could be worse. I was half expecting a troll" Varion muttered to himself before jogging backwards. The bear followed him and came out into the open, only for an arrow to sprout from the back of its neck. Lydia was doing her job, but the bear was still coming. Varion slashed out with his sword, causing the bear to halt it's advance and begin circling him. Another arrow was shot into its body, but it still didn't go down, if anything it was just made more mad. Varion stepped forward and attacked with a sword thrust, nicking the bear. He saw the wound freeze, but the stupid animal still wasn't dying. Varion didn't dare get too close, the bears claws would tear through his armour. He kept side-stepping to face the bear, but Lydia couldn't get a clear shot with them moving like this. Varion drew his second sword and jumped forward, slashing. The bear dodged, then rammed into him. The water caused Varion to lose his footing and fall, then the bear was on him. He let go of his blades and grabbed the bears mouth with his hands, holding it away from his face as best he could. He heard Lydia's scared cries and saw another arrow stab into the bear. "God damn it! Why won't you die? Why were you under the bridge? Where are the guards!?" Varion growled in anger. He drew back his right hand and punched the bear in the face with it, causing the beast to recoil slightly. However, he then saw movement to his left. Before the stupid animal could react, a woodcutters axe slammed into it's neck and Varion saw it's eyes go dead. A nord woman stood over it's corpse, holding the axe and breathing heavily.

"God damn bears! Can't leave my mill alone for a day!" she growled before pulling the axe out of the bear and looking down at Varion. The dragonborn glanced at the bear corpse on top of him before using his shout to push the body off. Varion got to his feet and glanced at the woman.

"Not a bad swing you got there. I'm Varion" he said, offering his hand. She shook it firmly.

"My names Temba. Thanks for helping out with the bear problem. The stupid things keep attacking my mill non-stop" she complained.

"Huh. That bites. Ever consider hiring a bosmer?" Varion asked, thinking of Faendal and his abilities to control animals.

"You think I've got the money for that? Ivarstead isn't exactly flowing with coin" she said, raising an eyebrow. Varion shrugged in response. "Speaking of which, why are you here? Barely anyone comes to this town" she asked somewhat suspiciously.

"Would you believe that I'm a great bear killer here to save your town?" he joked sarcastically. Temba rolled her eyes. "I'm heading up to High Hrothgar. Figured killing a bear would be good practice for whatever lives up there" he explained. She sighed.

"Of course. That's nearly the only reason anyone comes to this town" she lamented. Varion glanced around.

"Gotta admit, not much to do here. If you need more bears killed, send me a letter. Send it to Breezehome in Whiterun" Varion offered, before turning and walking up the stairs. Lydia walked over from the bears corpse, having retrieved some of her arrows from it and she set off after Varion again.

"You have a kind heart thane, offering to help these people" Lydia spoke up. Varion glanced back at her.

"I suppose" he shrugged. "It gets me more combat experience and a bit of a reward, and it helps them out with their lives. Got no real reason to say no" he explained. While Farengar had pissed him off, he wasn't usually that annoyed when someone asked him for a favour. If it came down to killing things, he could do it. Protecting things, he could do it. Going and fetching something? That might be a little more annoying.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion knew it wasn't going to be an easy trek up the mountain, but it still caught him off guard a few times. He and Lydia had talked to a few pilgrims, read a few stone tablets and even picked some flowers with healing properties, but it all changed when the ice wraiths attacked. With the pilgrims help, they'd managed to kill them, but Varion had chosen to halt their trek upwards to tend to Lydia. An ice wraith had sunk its teeth into her left shoulder, so they waited a while for her to recover. Varion cursed himself for not knowing a healing spell for other people, but the ingredients they had gathered made Lydia able to stand in a short while. The pair climbed in silence for some time, occasionally killing a lone wolf that would try it's luck against the armoured pair. They encountered a frost troll at one point, and it was a far greater challenge. Varion had stabbed it with his left sword, only to have the creature leap away from him with the sword still inside it, robbing him of a weapon. A frost blade doesn't affect trolls and no other weapon they had could outdamage it's regeneration, so he and Lydia had lured it to the edge of a cliff before Varion shouted it off and it plummeted to it's death. Varion was still limping from that fight, though his healing magic was helping. "Gods forbid I ever fight a creature like that again…" Lydia groaned. Her shield had been damaged to the point of uselessness, so her left arm now had a gauntlet and nothing else. Varion chuckled.

"After killing a tomb of undead and a dragon, I didn't think one troll would be that big of a deal" he admitted. The beast had been tough to kill and he'd lost his left sword. At least now he could wield his frost blade and have a hand free for magic. They made it past a stone tablet, same as the other 9 they'd passed on the way up. Varion read aloud from it, and felt a rush flow through him, like some form of spell. His aching limbs from the climb seemed to get their energy back, he felt refreshed. He glanced at Lydia and noticed that she had a faint glow around her, and looking at his hands revealed the same thing.

"Well, that was interesting?" Lydia said, sounding more confused than anything. Varion had to agree. He felt more at peace now than before and he had a lot more energy, but reading a stone tablet had never given him any special effects before.

"Whatever. We got bigger things to worry about than weird magical stone tablet things" he said, rolling his shoulders to loosen them up. "We made it" he continued, gesturing to the massive castle behind the tablet.

"High Hrothgar. Home of the Greybeards" Lydia announced, sounding slightly in awe. Varion had to agree, it was a very impressive building. For some reason, he could sense something inside it, something very old and very powerful.

"Well, let's go see these old guys" he said, bringing Lydia back to reality. She nodded and Varion walked forwards. He placed his hand on the door, breathed in, and pushed it open.

* * *

**A/N:Good grief, this was a pretty annoying chapter to write just because of the filler stuff. I'll probably be including less of the travelling sections of Varions journey, more focusing on major events because otherwise I'm gonna burn myself out.**

**So, we see that Varion's having some mental debate, Lydia is proving her strength in battle and Varion's still making new acquaintances. Killing bears, trolls, par for the course really.**

**The story will be picking up pace quickly now as more exciting stuff happens, so stay tuned for future chapters!**

**Leave a review if you like, and I will see you all next time!**


	11. Way of the Voice 2 - The Greybeards

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion and Lydia killed some fools, killed a bear, killed a troll and climbed a mountain, but now they're finally ready to enter High Hrothgar and see the Greybeards…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The atmosphere of High Hrothgar was almost unnerving. It was so calm, so tranquil that Varion was taken aback at the sudden mood switch from the harshness outside. It was a very ancient place, yet the walls practically radiated power. "Wait here Lydia. The greybeards wanted me, and I don't know what these guys are like" he cautioned, gesturing for her to wait.

"Be careful my thane" she replied, sheathing her weapon as she stopped following him. As he walked down the dark hallway, he noticed a more lit chamber up ahead, plus four people shaped shadows. As he got closer, he saw that the person shaped shadows belonged to four people shaped people, specifically some old men in weird monk robes. However, upon looking a little closer, Varion saw that they had beards. Grey beards.

"_I'm guessing this is them. How many other old men with grey beards can live in this monastery?"_ Varion sarcastically thought to himself.

"And so, a dragonborn once again appears in this crucial time in history," one of the monks said in a tone of unreadable emotion.

"Yeah, that's me. I am dragonborn" Varion said, somewhat intimidated by the old man. Despite his age and frail build, Varion could practically taste the power radiating from every word he spoke, even in this normal tongue.

"Hmm, we will see. Young man, what is your name?" he asked.

"I'm Varion, master," he replied. Internally, Varion was a little surprised he used the word sir, seeing his usual disrespect for authority figures. However, these guys were freaking him out.

"Well now Varion, shout at us. Let us taste your voice" the greybeard commanded. Varion raised an eyebrow, and the old man chuckled.

"Do not worry. We can withstand your thu'um. Now, use it!" he repeated. Varion shrugged and felt the familiar power burn inside of him.

"FUS!" The wave of energy crashed into the greybeards, but amazingly, they barely flinched. However, they now had expressions of wonder on their face as opposed to the unreadable masks they had before.

"Dragonborn. It is you" he said simply, bowing his head. "Welcome to High Hrothgar" he finished.

"Thank you. Um, do you have a name or…" Varion trailed off. He saw the old man scoff a little.

"Forgive my manners. I am master Arngeir. I speak for the greybeards" he said. Varion nodded. "It has been so long since one with dragon blood has come to our halls. It is an honour" he added. Varion removed his helmet and put it in his bag.

"It's a privilege for me as well Arngeir" he said, feeling a bit strange about the praise he was getting from the old man despite them having just met. "I've got a few questions about this whole Dragonborn thing, could you answer them?"

"All in good time Varion. First, I would like to do an experiment of sorts" he said. Varion raised an eyebrow. "Are you aware of how the rest of us learn shouts?"

"Wouldn't have a clue" Varion answered honestly.

"Well, it takes years of practice and study to achieve mastery of even one word. We have dedicated our entire lives to the voice, hence our mastery. But you, the Dragonborn, were able to learn a word in an instant through absorbing a slain dragon's life force," Arngeir said, praise in his voice once again.

"I mean, yeah, that's how I first learned about this" Varion replied. "I don't know how I did it, it was instinctual" he added. Truth be told, he had no idea how he managed to learn that word. It just came to him naturally, his new understanding of force.

"This should allow you much quicker understanding of these shouts. I would like to test that" Arngeir continued. Varion nodded.

"If you're gonna teach me, I'm more than ready to learn" Varion declared. The desire to learn more about the voice was at the forefront of his mind, he had so many questions, so many things he needed answers about. But at the back of his mind was another reason. The power that one word had given him was already impressive, and rather addicting. "_Imagine how much power I could get with more…"_ Varion thought to himself, then scolded himself again for letting his thoughts go down that path. He wasn't power hungry, he wasn't! Or, at least he thought he wasn't. He tore his thoughts away from that and back to the greybeards. They had moved from standing in a line to now standing in a diamond shape with Varion in the middle.

"Very well Varion. We will test your ability to learn. First, a little explanation. When you shout, you speak the language of dragons. Thus, your dragon blood gives you the inborn ability to learn words of power. The rest of us must undertake years of study and practice to truly learn the understanding of a word, but you can learn it far easier. Every shout is made of three words of power. As you learn more words, your shout will grow in power," Arngeir explained, then gestured to one of the greybeards. "We will give you the second word of the shout you already know, 'Ro'. In our tongue, it means balance. Master Einarth will teach it to you now". As he finished this, one of the greybeards stepped forwards and looked towards the ground.

"Ro" he whispered. As he did, a wave of energy came out from his mouth and hit the ground. Shortly afterwards, burning letters appeared on the ground. Einarth gestured to Varion, then to the letters. The dragonborn walked over and stared at the words. Just like at Bleak Falls Barrow, he could read them and he knew what they meant.

"Balance" he whispered aloud as he felt himself seemingly absorb the knowledge of the word. "Ro!" he shouted, but nothing happened.

"Ah, you get ahead of yourself" Arngeir said. "Simply knowing a word is not enough to perform a shout. If it was, any nord with a dragon language textbook could become a greybeard" he joked. Varion sighed.

"So how do I turn that into a shout?"

"First of all, Fus and Ro must be combined together. Alone, balance does not carry any power or effect, but combined with force, it will have strength and energy. With Ro, your Unrelenting Force shout will be sharpened," Arngeir explained. "Now, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of Ro, allowing you to absorb his knowledge directly, as is made possible through your dragon blood". He gestured once more to the old man, and Varion stood in front of Einarth. He spread his arms and Varion noticed orange waves of energy coming off of him and flowing into himself. He felt both knowledge and power flow into him and he felt "Ro" resound within him. He understood the word in terms of both it's translation and it's true meaning. Arngeir looked at him with admiration. "You learn a new word like a master. Your gift is truly astounding…" he said as Varion regained his focus on the real world and not just the word of power he just learned.

"Do you have something I can test this on?" Varion asked. Arngeir nodded.

"Your eagerness is noted. Let us see just how well you have learned this shout. Strike the targets with your shout, Unrelenting Force". As he finished, one of the greybeards turned from looking at Varion to looking at the centre of the diamond they'd made.

"Fiik Lo Saar" the greybeard shouted, and as he did a portal opened in the centre of the diamond. As it faded, Varion saw that a spectral clone of the shouting greybeard was now standing there. Varion tensed up, feeling the power of Unrelenting Force build in him.

"FUS RO!" he shouted. As he did, a wave of energy fired from his mouth, same as before, but he felt it far stronger. Based on the fact that the clone was knocked off its feet and hit the ground before vanishing, the increased power wasn't just his imagination. "Damn, that was good" Varion muttered, enjoying the increased strength of his thu'um. "Where's the next target? It'll take me awhile to get used to the extra power" he asked, but Arngeir shook his head.

"Dragonborn, I believe this is a good time to get on to the next part of the lesson. Have you tried to shout consecutively?" he asked. Varion nodded.

"Yeah, I tried using Fus twice in a row. It made my throat burn, it felt like I couldn't breathe for a few seconds. Is that normal?" He'd kept that in the back of his mind ever since it happened, Varion wasn't exactly in a hurry to experience that pain again.

"Yes, that would be expected. Shouts take a large toll on the body. With enough training and focus, one can minimise the strain. For example, using Fus multiple times would not bother us in the slightest. However, you just awoke to your ability. It will take time for you to withstand it" he elaborated. Varion grimaced.

"So all my shouts will hit me like that if I use them twice?"

"Not necessarily. Depending on the power of the shout, you could experience less pain, or perhaps greater. Either way, I would not recommend experimenting. As you shout more, your body will become stronger and adapt to it" Arngeir finished. Varion nodded.

"Well, either way, I feel like I'm ready to shout again. What next?"

**X-X-X-X-X**

"I feel like you're giving me a lot. Why?" Varion asked. He'd finished training with Fus Ro and now the greybeards were outside in the courtyard to teach him a new shout.

"As part of your initiation, we need to help you use your gift to the fullest. It is the privilege of the greybeards to help guide the dragonborn towards their destiny, as our order has always done" Arngeir explained. "Seeing your potential fulfilled is rewarding," he added. Varion flexed his shoulders.

"So, what is my destiny?"

"That is something you must discover for yourself. After all, we can only show you the way, not the destination of your journey" Arngeir explained. Varion nodded. After all, that worked with his own philosophy of paving his own path through life.  
"I'll do my best" he responded and Arngeir gave a nod in reply.

"We will see how well you can learn whirlwind sprint, a completely new shout. The first word, the one we will teach you, is Wuld. It means 'whirlwind'," Arngeir said, then he gestured to another greybeard, Master Borri. "We will teach you the word, then you may use Master Borri's knowledge of the word in order to use the shout" he continued. Varion nodded, then stood opposite Borri.

"Wuld!" As he whispered the word, it appeared on the ground in flaming letters. Varion felt the familiar rush of learning a new word.

"Even a completely new shout is no challenge for you to learn. Your talent is unmistakable" Arngier said. Borri then gave Varion his knowledge of Wuld and he absorbed it just like all the other words thus far. Really, this word of power stuff was easy when you didn't have to try to learn it over the course of years. He then watched Master Borri demonstrate how to use the shout by passing through a gate that would only open for about 4 seconds. He used the full shout, and it was quite a sight to see.

"WULD NAH KEST!" As soon as the words left his lips, he flew forward at an unbelievable speed. He passed right through the gate and an extra 10 metres forward before he came to a precise stop. Varions eyes widened. That was impressive.

"Your turn Varion" Arngeir beckoned, motioning for him to take his position. Varion flexed his shoulders absentmindedly.

"_Alright, all I have to do is go flying forward at incredible speed through a small gap between two stone pillars before a gate closes within 4 seconds. If I hit the pillars, the gate, or trip, it will be very painful. No pressure"_ Varion internally snarked at himself. He braced himself, imagining the word in his mind and he felt the power building inside.

"BEX!" As one of the greybeards shouted, the gate swung open. Varion tensed.

"WULD!" At this word, he shot forward. The world around him blurred for a split second as all he knew was forward momentum. It wasn't as fast as Borri and he covered less distance, but he still went a considerable way. As he stopped, Varion stumbled, not used to the sudden speed change. He managed to stay on one knee before he stood back up and shook his head. "Good grief. That'll take a while to get used to" he muttered while trying to regain his bearings. Eventually he did and he walked back over to Arngeir.

"Your ability to master a new word is truly amazing Varion" Arngeir praised. "I'd heard tales of the dragonborns natural talent, but to see it for myself…" he trailed off.

"I try my best. I only wish I could get better faster" Varion complained. He was suitably impressed with his new words of power, but at the same time his hunger for new shouts hadn't exactly been lessened.

"Be cautious Dragonborn. Do not allow your natural ability tempt you into the path of arrogance and power hoarding that so many Dovahkiin before you have walked" Arngeir warned. Varion swallowed and forced his annoyingly prevalent power seeking side into the back of his mind. It was getting worrying, he'd had this weird feeling ever since he absorbed that dragons soul.

"Don't worry, I don't intend to go starting a war or anything" Varion reassured. Arngeir nodded.  
"That would be preferable. But in the meantime, we have one last trial for you" he said.

"I'll take on anything" Varion said, confidence returning to his voice. Arngiers expression didn't change.

"In the ancient nord tomb of Ustengrav, there is a horn that belonged to the founder of the greybeards, Jurgen Windcaller. Retrieve the horn and your training will be complete" Arngier declared. Varion internally groaned.

"_Gimme a break. Another damn nordic ruin?"_ Truth be told, he was rather tired of the stupid things, and he'd only been through one. Nevertheless, he shrugged. "I'll be back with the horn in a few days," he said. "Can I ask you some questions now?" Arngeir nodded.

"I will share what knowledge I can Dragonborn" Varion breathed out. He didn't fully know where to start.

"Ok, so I've got one big concern. If I tell you, I want help and information, not judgement. Alright?" Varion asked, looking for reassurance. Arngeirs lips twitched upwards.

"It is not in the nature of the greybeards to be judgemental. What troubles you Varion?"

"_Huh. Nice"_ Varion thought. "So, ever since I absorbed my first dragon soul, I've been getting this strange feeling. Deep in my soul, my mind, whatever, I've got this strange desire. Power. I feel it in my blood, but I keep wanting more. When I fight, sometimes I get these sadistic thoughts in my head. I don't want them to be there, they weren't there before, but they're here now. What's happened to me?" Varion asked, genuinely worried. He'd much rather solve this mystery now rather than have it get worse. To his confusion, Arngeirs eyes simply showed sadness.

"Well, Paarthunax could answer your question far better than I, but I will try in the meantime" he started. Varion raised an eyebrow, but he could ask who this Paarthurnax guy was later. "Dragons, by nature, are quite power hungry beings. They used to rule over mankind after all. My theory is that, being Dovahkiin, you share this trait to an extent" he continued. Varion frowned.

"Then why didn't I get this feeling before? I've had plenty of scenarios where I wanted power" he said.

"After you killed the dragon, I believe that your soul was truly awakened for the first time. Your dragon soul emerged, and everything that came with it, including the dragon nature" Arngier replied.

"Great. So can I go see Paarthunax, see his view on it?" Varion asked. Arngier shook his head.

"Oh no, Paarthunax is the leader of our order. He lives in seclusion on the peak of the throat of the world. Seeing him is a great privilege, not just anyone gets to do it" he explained. Varion raised an eyebrow again.

"I'm the dragonborn. Doesn't that count as 'not just anyone'?" he asked.

"Varion, when your voice can open the path to Paarthunax, then you will be ready to see him. You must find the strength on your own" Arngeir said. Varion sighed.

"So what do I do about this weird dragon power hungry thing until I'm ready?" he asked.

"Well, my advice would be this. You may have the soul of a dragon, and a grand destiny, but you were born as a mortal. Never forget where you came from. If you remember your mortal side and how that part of you has grown throughout your life, I believe you will be able to remain in control of your dragon nature, and not the other way around" Arngeir said. Varion was impressed. It was quite the neat philosophy, even though Arngeir had admitted that he was no expert when it came to this.

"Thank you master. I will try" Varion promised.

"Remain true to the way of the voice, and you will succeed in your journey" Arngier replied.

"Remind me to remind you to tell me what that 'way of the voice' thing is actually about" Varion said as he walked off. Arngeir chuckled slightly, he hadn't expected the dragonborn to have a personality like this.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion walked back through High Hrothgar until he made it to the main entrance. Standing by the door polishing her blade was Lydia, though she immediately straightened up and turned to Varion once he walked into her sight. She bowed as he came closer.

"Was your training successful my thane?" she asked. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Stand up Lydia, you don't have to bow to me. As for your question…" Varion thought back on the new words of power he had as well as how he'd been told that his potential was seemingly limitless. He also thought about Arngeirs theory on his dragon nature, but he ignored that. "Yeah. My training went well" he said. He walked out the door and Lydia followed,

"Where will we venture to now?" she asked.

"You ever been in a nordic ruin before?" Varion asked, glancing back at her. Lydia shook her head.

"No, but I know you have. Why do you ask?" she said.

"Well, you're about to experience one. I wouldn't look forward to it…" Varion muttered as he got out his map and looked to where Arngeir had marked the location of Ustengrav. It was going to be a long trek to Morthal and beyond. "This is going to be a pain..." he groaned as he and Lydia began to trudge down the 7,000 steps.

* * *

**A/N:**There we go, greybeard training done! Varions weird behaviour has been somewhat explained and we've got more dragon shouts! Yay!

So, question time. Would you rather see Varion go straight to the horn of Jurgen Windcaller, or would you rather see him do some work for the companions first? If I get any suggestions before the next chapter is written, I will base my choice off of them!

Dragon Language (This will only be done for chapters with significant amounts of Thu'um in them)

Fus Ro - Force, Balance (Unrelenting Force)

Fiik Lo Sah - Mirror, Deceive, Phantom

Wuld Nah Kest - Whirlwind, Fury, Tempest (Whirlwind Sprint)

Bex - Open


	12. Way of the Voice 3 - The Mystery Deepens

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion received instruction from the greybeards as well as some vague clues about destiny and his true nature and all that jazz. He's now off to raid a dungeon in order to complete his final trial…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"Well, this place is depressing" Varion muttered as he walked through Morthal. He had expected one of the major cities in Skyrim to be a bit more lively, more like Whiterun. Instead the place looked dreary, everyone walked around with little enthusiasm and the whole town had a strange vibe to it.

"I'd have to agree my thane" Lydia replied from behind him. "This whole town seems, uneasy," she added, her voice sounding uneasy as well. Varion scoffed.

"Then let's find a room to crash in for the night and get out as soon as we can. Hanging around this place for too long, it'll ruin my mood" he said. Varion continued on, searching for the inn so they could rest up. He'd already travelled back to Whiterun to rest and pack supplies, but walking halfway across Skyrim was tiring, even for the Dragonborn. Eventually he found the inn and shoved the door open, breathing deeply at the warmth that the fire provided.

"Ah, welcome travellers! How may we serve you?" the barkeep spoke up. The guard he'd asked had told him that her name was Jonna.

"All I need is a room. You got a spare one?" Varion asked.

"Yeah, ten gold and it's yours for the night," she replied. Varion grunted and put some coins on the counter, about 30 in total.

"There, that should cover it, plus get me and Lydia here some food. Walking across Skyrim makes a warrior hungry" he said before turning around and taking a seat by the fire. Jonna blinked, then looked down at the coins.

"Um, sure. No problem" she said, slightly confused by his brashness. Lydia sat down next to Varion.

"My thane, is something troubling you?" she asked tentatively.

"Nah, I'm fine. It's just these ruins are really annoying" he said bluntly, referring to their upcoming treasure hunt. "_Of course the greybeards have to send me on some fetch quest. At least these guys have better beards than Farengar"_ he thought to himself.

"Surely you can handle it though. I mean, you defeated a dragon" Lydia said, her voice sounding a little in awe when she said the last part. Varions lips twitched.

"I'm a born dragonslayer. Not a born draugr slayer. We'll see what tomorrow brings" he said, effectively ending the conversation. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, letting himself be lost in thought. He reflected on what Arngeir had theorised about him, about why he was getting these power cravings. "_I've got to be careful,"_ he instructed himself. "_It's like the old man said. If I don't control this power, it'll control me"_. The thought was worrying. He didn't want to become like the giant fire breathing lizards that had apparently enslaved the world thousands of years ago. After Jonna brought them their food, Lydia and Varion ate in silence, the only sound in the background being the crackling of the fire and some bad sounding lute strumming coming from the orcish bard. Varion looked over at Lydia occasionally. He wasn't completely sure what to think of her. Sure, she was a fierce warrior and a loyal companion, but he couldn't yet tell if she followed him because she had to, or because she wanted to. He didn't want to own what was effectively a slave, he wanted a friend by his side. "_I especially don't want a slave if the dragon side of me gets the better of my mind"_ he thought to himself. He was concerned for Lydia's safety if he couldn't keep his dragon blood in check, he could potentially kill her. He flexed his shoulders and pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. He then saw Lydia yawn and he felt a slight pang of guilt. He'd been so focused on the journey and himself on their trek to Morthal, he hadn't asked her how she was doing. After all, he was both dragonborn and a mountain of a man, he could probably take more punishment than she could. He hadn't thought about how she might not be as resilient. He got up and made his way over to his room, Lydia following behind as always. "Get some rest Lydia. Big day tomorrow" he said, stripping off his armour. Lydia tilted her head.

"Are you not going to sleep as well?" Varion shook his head.

"I've got a few things I want to ask about. Relax, I can manage without you for a few minutes" he said, knowing that she would be stubborn. While travelling, Lydia had been adamant to not sleep unnecessarily and Varion had been forced to use his "I'm your thane" power at least twice now just to get her to rest. She was so desperate to impress him, it was sad, yet admirable.

"My thane, I would not want you to be unguard-" Varion held up his hand to silence her, he'd done this dance before.

"Lydia. I wouldn't be a thane if I wasn't capable enough to handle myself. You need rest. Sleep" Varion said, trying to persuade her to chill out for a while, she deserved this much. Lydia opened her mouth to protest, then winced as she moved her arm. Clearly, her body was tired.

"Very well my thane. If you need me, don't hesitate to wake me" she insisted. Varion chuckled, then nodded. Varion continued stripping his armour off until he only wore his pants, boots and his regular shirt. Varion saw Lydia go to remove her armour and he turned away, giving her privacy. She coughed after a while and Varion turned back around to see her clad in just pants and a plain shirt.

"Now, anything else?" he asked.

"My thane, where will you sleep? There's only one bed?" Lydia said, gesturing to the double bed in the room. Varion glanced at it, then back at Lydia who had a slight blush on her face.

"We'll sleep in the same bed. No big deal" Varion said with a shrug. He could've sworn that Lydia turned even redder at that. Varion walked over to his gear and picked up his only non-enchanted sword. He then walked to the bed and stabbed it into the centre of it. "Right, that side is yours" he said, gesturing to the right. "The other side is mine" he finished. "Wouldn't want it getting inappropriate" Varion said. Lydia was stunned. Later upon reflecting, Varion would understand why she was so flustered, but in his tired state, he didn't really think about it. She'd already seen him shirtless, what was the big deal? "If you really want, I can get a second room," he offered, but Lydia quickly shook her head.

"No no, not necessary my thane. Don't waste your coin!" Lydia said nervously. Varion shrugged before turning around and walking out of the room. Lydia slowly crawled under the covers and tried to sleep as best she could while being cautious of the sword that now stuck out of the bed.

"My thane is a strange one," she muttered, though Varions ears still picked up on it and he chuckled.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion sat back down in his chair and relaxed. Lydia was now sleeping (probably) and he was free to relax without her being constantly on guard. "_Her job must be draining,"_ he thought to himself. He called to Jonna and ordered another piece of cooked salmon and he tore into it like an animal. Maybe it was his dragon nature, his large size for a nord or walking across Skyrim, but he was damn hungry. As he ate, he couldn't help but notice just how annoying the bard was becoming. "_This guy's terrible!" _he thought as he ate. If something didn't distract him within the next few minutes, he was gonna lose it on him. However, he then noticed someone behind him. He turned around in his chair and saw a woman walk by. She was a nord wearing typical tavern clothes, in other words, she was showing a lot of skin. She looked over at Varion and sent a smile his way. Her movements were seductive and she was making her way over to him.

"Why hello handsome" she said in a sultry tone. Varion looked her up and down.

"Uh, hey?" he said, a little unsure of the appropriate response here.

"What's someone like you doing in Morthal?" she asked, lacing curiosity into her tone.

"Passing through. I've got a ruin to clear out" he said, keeping his replies short.

"Ah, the adventurer type. How alluring" she said, batting her eyelashes at him. "My name is Alva, what's yours?" she said.

"Varion" he replied, keeping his tone cautiously neutral.

"Well Varion, care to do some working out before your adventure?" she asked, running a hand over his shoulders. Varion tensed up, then stood up. Alva looked up at his full height and stature. "What a man!" she said in admiration. Vairon heard Jonna sigh in exasperation.

"Alva, are you done flirting with the newcomers?" she asked. Alva simply glanced around Varion at her.

"Jealous?" she retorted. Varion rolled his eyes hard. This woman was getting on his nerves. "Now, Varion, what do you say we take this somewhere private? Away from such envious eyes…" Alva purred. Varion simply remained still and gazed at Alva's face, taking in every detail. He smirked, then nodded his head. Alva's gaze turned even more seductive, then grabbed him by the hand and led him into a spare room, tossing a coin purse over to Jonna as she did. Once inside, Alva shut the door behind them and she then turned back around to Varion. "So, how would you like to do this? I assume a man like you would have some experience…" she said, never losing her suggestive tone. Now that they were alone, Varion was fine with dropping his act. She rested her hand on his cheek and he moved to put his hand on top of hers. He then twisted her arm outwards and he grabbed her by the shoulder before pushing her down on the bed hard enough to nearly break the thing. She gave a pained gasp, but Varion quickly leveled his face with hers. He pinned her arms over her head. Alva thrust her chest out at him, in a desperate attempt to seduce him again, but Varion drove his knee into her stomach to wind her.

"Unless you want to killed right here and now vampire, I'd suggest that you keep it down!" Varion threatened. Alva gulped nervously, but kept staring at him. "What are you doing here? You don't get vampires just wandering around town!" he hissed.

"What makes you think anything's going on?" she said in a panicked tone. "I'm not a-"

"Cut the crap! Your eyes are a dead giveaway!" Varion snarled quietly. Alva gulped again.

"I got infected by a vampire long ago! I don't have the means to cure it!" she said. Varion rolled his eyes.

"What, are you that poor? A cure disease potion isn't that expensive! Surely you could seduce the owner into giving you a discount! I bet you just got off on the new powers that you get with this!" he said, still interrogating her. He had a special hatred for vampires. Some incidents long ago had coloured his opinion of them quite poorly.

"I, I didn-" she tried to speak, but Varion cut her off.

"Save it bitch! I'm not going to kill you, you've done nothing criminal yet, but I've encountered your tactic before! Seduce a guy until he works off his downstairs brain, go to kiss his neck, then drink his blood like an alcoholic drinks mead!" he said with anger in his voice. "If I ever catch you doing anything like that again, I swear to Talos, your face is as good as ruined. I'll cave it in with one strike" he threatened, releasing her. Alva trembled in fear of him, but her worried expression turned to an oddly smug one.

"Well, aren't you the feisty one Varion" she said challengingly. "I'll see how well your willpower holds up in the future," she said, glaring at him with a smirk on her face.

"Hmph. Get lost" Varion snarled before opening the door and slamming it behind him. The bard was still singing, but stopped to look at Varion.

"What's got you so worked up friend? Let old Lurbuk calm that raging anger with a so-"

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE FREAKING ANNOYING!" Varion shouted at Lurbuk before entering into the room he paid for and slamming the door behind him. He then saw Lydia sitting there awake and he instantly felt guilty. "Shit! Lydia, I'm sor-"

"My thane, what happened?" Lydia asked, concern in her voice. She'd never seen him this angry.

"Some vampire bitch tried to seduce me. I hate them…" Varion said, still trying to calm down from his anger.

"There is a vampire in the inn? My thane, should I deal with them?" she asked.

"No, no. Until she does something actually illegal, I'm not about to commit murder of one of the townspeople" Varion assured her. Lydia rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Varion, is there something more to this?" she asked gently. Varion looked at her slightly stunned.

"_Woah. She used my name"_ he thought to himself. "Sorry, I just have a bad history with vampires" he said, choosing to carefully hide some of the information. He didn't want to appear weak. Lydia removed her hand and clasped both of hers together in her lap, playing with her thumbs.

"My thane, I would never judge you for your past" Lydia said softly, reassuring him. Varion was pretty stunned. He'd never imagined that Lydia would be the one comforting him, at least not this soon in their partnership.

"Hmph. I swore to leave the past behind me when I woke up on that cart" Varion said, trying to signal an end to the conversation. He didn't really want to discuss this with Lydia, his weakness wasn't a topic he liked explaining.

"Varion…" Lydia said, before laying a hand on his shoulder in a comforting matter again. Varion clasped her hand and nodded. Lydia then removed her hand and went back under the covers of the bed. "Even the dragonborn isn't invincible. If you need me, I am here my thane" Lydia declared sleepily. She really was tired, but she still did her best to support him. Varion smiled despite himself.

"Goodnight Lydia. Sleep well" he said before climbing into the bed on his side and letting his eyes finally fall shut. "_Give me a break. Can I just have an easy time for once? Skyrims just giving me adventure after adventure…"_

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varions fist punched straight through a draugrs head and slammed into a wall. He grimaced in discomfort before he tore his hand out of the undead head and he thrust his leg into the stomach of the draugr behind him. The creature doubled over and Varion backstepped so he stood next to it. He then swept his sword down and cut off its head before kicking over its body. "Give me a break. This ruin's even worse than Bleak Falls" he complained, looking around the room.

"I have to agree my thane. This place sucks" Lydia said bluntly, dropping the formal speech. They'd been going through this ruin for about an hour and a half, at least from what Varion guessed and he was damn annoyed. At least it had gotten his mind off Alva and his hatred for Lurbuk the bard. They'd gone into massive underground caves, across traps and Varion had experienced plenty of opportunities to play around with his new shouts. The whirlwind sprint shoulder charge was particularly fun, but the first time he tried it he missed and slammed into a wall. Lydia had to help him up while trying her hardest not to laugh. Speaking of shouts, Varion had also found another word wall. The experience of learning the word, Feim, had been disorientating like learning Fus had been, but he'd recovered quicker than he did the first time he read a word wall. Sadly, Varion hadn't made it down to their current place unscathed. His frost blade had been ruined. He'd encountered a draugr that could use the thu'um like he could and it had caught him off guard. When the draugrs unrelenting force hit him, he had been sent falling onto his back and his sword flew out of his hand. He'd glanced over to it only to see another draugr cut it in half using a battleaxe. That had pissed him off, but the Blade of Whiterun's fire enchantment had proven a better match against the draugr anyway.

"Well, let's hope that this damn trek is gonna be over soon…" Varion muttered. He walked up to the next door that they hadn't gone through and he tried to open it. It was locked. He growled in frustration, he'd broken over 30 lockpicks opening all the damned doors and chests through this ruin and he'd lost his patience. Letting out yet another roar of frustration, Varion kicked at the door with all his strength. He broke through the lock and they flew open, one of them going off its hinges.

"It seems the nordic builders didn't consider your mighty kicks when designing their security" Lydia said sarcastically. Varion rolled his eyes, but took a breath and calmed himself. He glanced around the new room. It had a high ceiling, tons of nordic carvings, two channels of water next to a singular path leading to a single coffin at the far end of the room and a pedestal right behind it.

"Well, this is an inner chamber if ever I saw one" Varion said, mainly just thinking out loud. He walked down the pathway and saw stone statues rise out of the water as he walked. He smirked, seems like the temple was celebrating his arrival. He carefully stepped around the coffin to the pedestal, worrying that there might be another damn draugr inside it. He walked up to the pedestal, relieved that his adventure was over… until he saw that instead of a horn, there was a note.

"Oh dear…" Lydia muttered as Varion stood there in silence. He mentally counted seconds.

"_One, two, three…"_ he thought before ceasing his counting. Two more seconds past before he grabbed the note, still deathly quiet. Lydia had expected a violent outburst, but it seemed like he was restraining himself. Varion read the note over. It told him to go to the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood and rent the attic room if he wanted the claw. Varion lowered the note, then clenched his fist extremely tightly, crushing the note. "Whoever this friend of mine is supposed to be, they're definitely not my friend now…" he threatened, anger emanating from every word.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The trek back to Whiterun was a long and annoying one. Varion appreciated Lydia greatly, but he also disliked the fact that for some reason he always had more energy than her. He could go without sleep and be at full strength for days whereas she needed nightly sleep to go at full power. "_Perk of being the dragonborn"_ he had theorised at the time. It did result in quite a few nights where Varion had stood guard over Lydia's sleeping form, polishing his sword while on the lookout for danger. At least she was allowing herself to sleep more now, letting him protect her instead of always needing it to be the other way around. Witht their new gear, they were significantly better at the whole protecting thing. The master chest in Ustengrav had been an armoury. Varion now carried an orcish sword enchanted with shock damage in addition to his old unenchanted dwarven sword. This, combined with the dwarven greatsword, the Blade of Whiterun, made him feel a lot more at ease wandering around Skyrim. His dagger was still the same, but it had tasted the blood of many enemies at close quarters, so he cleaned the orcish steel thoroughly. Lydia had found a steel war axe blessed with an enchantment to make weaker undead flee, which had sent her into an uncharacteristic rant about how that would've been helpful earlier. She'd stopped when she saw Varion laughing at her and she'd turned away blushing. Varion chuckled whenever he thought of that memory, she was finally starting to lighten up around him. However, after all that was said and done, plus 3 days of walking, they'd arrived back in Whiterun at Breezehome. Lydia practically collapsed on her bed and Varion was half tempted to do the same. However, he still had to make it to Riverwood, and he didn't have time to rest. He deposited the treasures he and Lydia had collected in his chest and quickly grabbed an apple.

"My thane, surely we cannot be leaving already?" Lydia said tiredly. She enjoyed their adventures, but she was worn out. Varion didn't turn to answer her, he kept sorting his collected items in his chest.

"I am leaving. You're staying here" he said bluntly. Lydia blinked.

"My thane, I am your housecarl, sworn to protect you. I can't do that if I'm here and you are not" she said.

"Lydia, you've followed me, the dragonborn, for the last week and a bit on this adventure. You've kept up with me despite my crazy stamina. You carried burdens like crazy. Give yourself a break. You're staying here" Varion replied, finally glancing back at her at his last two comments. He could see Lydia's temptation to accept his offer, but her duty kept her wanting to follow him.

"But…"

"Lydia, you've done great, ok?" Varion said, crossing the room to lay a hand on her shoulder. "Now, look after yourself. It's alright" he said, trying to reassure her. Lydia blushed a little, then nodded.

"Varion, thank you. Truth be told, I don't know if I could go on another adventure for a while" she complained, stretching her aching muscles. Varion chuckled.

"I'll be back before you know it. See you later Lydia" he said, leaving the house as he did. He breathed a sigh of relief, that had been easier than expected. He left Whiterun and began the trek towards Riverwood down a path he'd gone so many times before. Apart from the occasional wolf, it was an easy walk and he was thankful for it. Having done so much intense stuff over the last few days wasn't physically draining him that much, but he was mentally tired, ready for rest as soon as he finished this little errand for the greybeards. Within a couple hours, he was back in Riverwood and he smiled despite himself. He was quite fond of the town, it had a certain charm to it. He walked over to the blacksmith and Alvor greeted him warmly. Varion returned Alvors handshake firmly, it was good to see the man who'd helped him out so much. After some small talk, Varion remembered what he was there for. He sighed and bade farewell to Alvor and Sigrid before walking over to the Sleeping Giant. He shoved the door open and walked inside, going tense. Somehow, someone knew him as the dragonborn and knew to steal the horn he needed. That someone was apparently here. He couldn't help but be a bit on edge. He walked into the place and saw Sven sitting in the corner of the room. The bard looked at Varion and anger crossed his face, but Varion glared back and Sven quickly turned away and took great interest in his drink. "Hmph. Weakling" Varion muttered under his breath. He walked over to the innkeeper, a relatively short Breton woman (then again, everyone was short compared to him).

"You need something?" she asked.

"I want to hire the attic room. How much?" he asked. Her eyebrow raised in interest before she resumed her former expression.

"Attic room? Well, we don't have an attic room. Not sure where you got that idea" she said in a confused tone. Varion hadn't missed her brief change in expression and he was suspicious about her confusion. "If you want to stay, you can take the room on the left. 15 gold and it's yours for the night" she said. Varion shrugged and gave her the gold before making his way over to the room and removing his helmet, setting it down on the small table in the room.

"Good grief, what is it with me and meeting shady women in taverns…" Varion muttered and sat down on the bed, deciding to wait around for the innkeeper to do something. She was clearly up to something, her expression and denial had made that clear. He polished his sword, adjusted his armour, practiced a little bit of healing magic, anything and everything to keep himself amused. Eventually, night came and Varion considered turning in for the night, seeing as this friend of his was apparently not gonna show up. However, right when he was about to lie down (still fully armoured, his guard was up), he heard a key turn in his door. He stood back up, putting his hand on his right thigh, ready to draw his dagger. The door opened and he saw the innkeeper walk in. This didn't make his grip loosen.

"So, you're the dragonborn I've heard so much about" she stated quietly. Varions eyes widened in mild surprise, but at the same time he'd half seen this coming.

"_This is that friend of mine? This bitch made me waste my time in Ustengrav?" _he thought in half-disbelief, half annoyance.

"I think you're looking for this?" she said rhetorically, handing him a horn. Varion took it and looked it over. It had to be the horn of Jurgen Windcaller, based on the nordic carvings and the fact that he'd come here looking for the damn thing. "We need to talk Dragonborn. Do you have a name?" she asked.

"I'm Varion. You are?" he replied, still defensive. Just because he had the horn didn't mean he trusted her in the slightest. She had lured him here, and though she wasn't attacking, she sure as hell wasn't disproving his suspicious of something going on.

"I'm Delphine. Now, follow me" she said bluntly, walking out of the room and into the room opposite his on the right. Varion grimaced, picked up and sheathed his weapons, donned his helmet and followed her.

"_The plot thickens"_ he thought with irritation. She stopped in front of a closet and glanced back at him.

"Close the door" she said. Varion raised an eyebrow, a closed door was hardly a guarantee of privacy. He shrugged and did as she asked, but then his eyes widened when he saw her open the closet and the back panel slid into the wall, revealing a secret passage. "Now we can talk without eavesdroppers" she explained, gesturing for him to follow her.

"Hold it" he said, causing her to stop and turn. Her expression was unreadable, same as his. "Before I go into your secret basement, I'm gonna need you to explain a few things. Starting off, why the hell did you lure me here?" he asked, keeping his tone level. She frowned.

"I had to make sure that this wasn't a thalmor trap. I can't be too careful nowadays. I gave you the horn already, can't you humour me?" she asked. Varion internally groaned.

"Fine. I'll play along" he said reluctantly and followed her into the basement. She walked around to the other side of a table with a map on it and faced Varion.

"So, the greybeards think you're dragonborn. I hope they're right" she said. "Their little horn fetch quest provided me the means to get you here at least" she added.

"I'm surprised you were the one who took the horn" Varion admitted. Delphine scoffed.

"I suppose I'm pretty good at the harmless innkeeper act, aren't I? I've been doing it for a while fooled a lot of people," she said.

"What's with all the theatrics?" Varion asked.

"I'd rather not be found by the Thalmor. I've been on the run too long to be caught now" she explained.

"They're bastards, aren't they?"

"Hmph. We agree at that. I wanted to bring you here, but I had to make sure you weren't Thalmor yourself" she said absentmindedly.

"So now, you're going to explain why you wanted me here, fast" Varion said coldly, almost threatening. Delphine returned his glare.

"I'll explain what I want, when I want, got it? If I didn't like the look of you when you walked in here, you'd be dead" she said with anger laced into her words. Varion doubled his angry expression, leaning over the table.

"That's tough talk. Want to prove it?" he challenged. Delphine leaned in and glared at him. They stayed like this for about 4 seconds before she leaned back.

"Hmph. Well, at least if you are the dragonborn you've got some fire in you" she said begrudgingly. Varion guessed she was trying to cover up her disappointment that he wasn't following her orders. "Whether you trust me or not, we've got more important things to deal with," she said, her anger subsiding and her authoritative tone coming back.

"The dragons? Yeah, killed one already, took it's soul. What else is there to know? I've just gotta stick them all in the ground" Varion said. He didn't see any point in leaving details out from her, she already knew what he was.

"Hmph, you'll be able to prove you can do that soon enough" Delphine scoffed, ignoring Varions returning frown. "Your little theory has one big issue. Dragons aren't just coming back, they're coming back to life!" This got Varons attention.

"What? How can you know that?" he asked with surprise in his voice.

"I've visited their ancient burial mounds, they're empty. So many of the dragons that were killed off by my order have been revived" she explained, annoyance seeping back into her tone.

"How do you know where these burial sites are?" he asked. She smirked.

"You got the map for me, remember?" Varion remembered the dragonstone and the lady who had been there.

"You were there with Farengar" he said. She nodded. Varion then frowned again. "And you refused to help us with the dragon" he said, annoyance in his voice. She scoffed.

"I trusted the whiterun guard to keep that covered. I had to deal with dragons coming back to life, that took priority" she explained. Varion responded with a 'hmph'. "Look, we don't have the time to waste. I've determined where the next dragon is going to be coming back, near Kynesgrove in Eastmarch. We're going to go there, and you're going to kill it" she commanded. Varion rolled his eyes, but before he could snark at her, she kept going. "Kill the dragon, absorb it's soul to keep it dead and then you can ask me anything you want, about the thalmor, dragons, my order, how I know about you. I'll give you any and all answers you want, nothing held back" she offered. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, keep it dead? When you were talking about the dragons?" he asked curiously. Delphine sighed, like she was explaining this to a child.

"The only way to kill a dragon permantly is to devour its soul, otherwise it can come back to life like these ones" she explained quickly. "My organisation slaughtered many, but we couldn't have a dragonborn absorb all their souls, meaning those souls were just waiting for their physical bodies to become available again" she finished.

"Hmm. Interesting" Varion pondered. All this stuff was quite the fascinating topic, he'd have to read up on it later. "I guess I'll see you at Kynesgrove" he offered, holding out his hand. Delphine's lips twitched upwards.

"Good. If you want to visit the greybeards first, go ahead, but this is a priority. Don't be long" she replied, moving over to a chest and getting out some armour. Varion looked at the ground and sighed in irritation.

"_Give me a freakin break. I thought me being dragonborn was the biggest surprise I'd be getting this month…"_

* * *

A/N:Holy crap, this was a massive chapter. Sorry for making it this long, I just got writing and kept going longer and longer, and boom. Longest chapter in the story. Don't expect them to be this long until the very far future, also, the next updates might be a bit slower, sorry!

So, Varion has met Delphine and they're butting heads already. Come on, what did you expect? Delphine is a pain. They will have quite the interesting relationship...

More teasers of Varions past, and ironically, some teasers for his future! Stay tuned for more, and let me know any theories you have about Varions past, I'd love to hear them! Stay awesome, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!

**Dragon Language (this part will sometimes be here and sometimes not, and I'm not going to call out every time I used Fus Ro Dah)**

**Feim - Fade (Become Ethereal)**


	13. Way of the Voice 4 - The Flying Dead

**Last time on Varions really long chapter…**

Varion went to Morthal, fought a bitch, went to Ustengrav, didn't get the horn, went to Riverwood, found a bitch, got the horn and now he's off to kill a dragon. Or back to the greybeards. Who knows, last chapter was crazy long…

**Now, back to the story...**

* * *

The trek back up High Hrothgar wasn't exactly easier than the first time, but it was definitely more pleasant than last time. Maybe it was the feeling of success accompanied by it thanks to the horn he carried, but Varion didn't feel as worn down by the climb. Perhaps it was a sign of him getting stronger. Of course, the ability to use whirlwind sprint every few seconds made getting around a bit easier. Varion had been using it as much as possible while not in combat so he could try to adapt his body to shouting, and through his experiments and counting, he'd managed to become a bit more attuned to it. His record for consecutive shouting, at least for the single word whirlwind sprint, was 10 seconds. Using it sooner than that still ripped the air from his body and caused him pain, but as long as he could count to ten, he'd be fine. Thanks to this little upgrade, he reached High Hrothgar a lot quicker than before and Varion opened the door with eagerness. The greybeards were already stood in the centre of the room in the same spots as they were when Varion first met them, no doubt expecting him. Varion approached the monks far more confidently than he had the first time and he held the horn in his hand. "I believe I passed?" Varion asked rhetorically. Arngeir took the horn from him and scoffed in amusement.

"You would be correct Varion. You've passed every trial. Now, if you will take your spot in the centre of the room, it is time for your formal greeting as Dragonborn" he explained, motioning to a spot. Varion stood there, unsure of what they meant by 'formal greeting'. He watched as one of the greybeards spoke to the floor.

"Dah". As they spoke, a wave of energy came from their mouth and yet another burning word appeared on the floor.

"But, before that, allow us to grant you the final word of unrelenting force. Be warned, with this word, your shout is far more powerful than the previous stages" Arngeir cautioned as Varion absorbed the words knowledge. He felt the same greybeard grant him the knowledge of the word and he flexed his shoulders, admiring the power he now felt in his mind and on the tip of his tongue.

"Thanks Master Arngeir. I'll put this to good use" he promised, nodding his head in respect. Arngeir returned the nod, then stood opposite Varion who was now in the centre of a diamond composed of the greybeards.

"You are now ready to hear the full, unbridled voice of the greybeards. Most men would be torn asunder by the power, but you are not most men. You are ready" Arngeir announced firmly. Varion nodded, then tensed, still not quite sure what the hell was happening. He saw Arngeir draw breath and felt the rest of the greybeards do the same, the power in the air was almost overwhelming. Then they shouted, and Varion would never be able to describe the sensation for the rest of his days. There was so much energy, so much power that he was honestly overwhelmed, yet it was comforting and filled him with a sense of ease, yet it also filled him with a sense of great power and strength all at once. It was disorientating to say the least.

"Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul, voth nid balaan klov praan nau. Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok!"

As the sensation subsided and their voices died down, Varion began to see clearly again. He saw Arngeir in focus and felt reassured that he didn't in fact die from that.

"You have tasted the full voice of the greybeards and passed unscathed Varion. Such a thing is truly an incredible feat" Arngeir praised. "High Hrothgar is open to you," he said, bowing his head. Varion saw the other greybeards do the same.

"Thank you master. May I talk with you for a while?" Varion asked. Upon seeing Arngeirs nod, he walked closer. "First off, I've gotta ask. What the hell did you just say to me?" he asked in confusion. Arngeir chuckled.

"Ah, I sometimes forget that you lack our knowledge of the dragon language. We spoke the traditional greeting given to a dragonborn that has accepted our guidance. The same words were used to greet young Talos you know" he explained. "I assume you want a translation?"

"That would be preferred" Varion replied back with a shrug. Arngeir nodded.

"To give a rough one, we said 'Long has the Storm Crown Languished with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North. Hearken to it.'" he finished, taking a breath as he did. Varion was stunned.

"You named me Ysmir. Ysmir is a god" he said, partially in shock.

"Don't think too much into it Varion. It would not do to have a dragonborn consumed by arrogance and powerlust under delusions of godhood. Just take it as a title," Arngeir reassured.

"I've been meaning to ask you something about that actually, the whole power lust thing" Varion continued. "The way of the voice. What is it?" he asked curiously. Arngeir tilted his head.

"I am pleased to see you taking some interest in the way, dragonborn. I will explain as best I can. The Voice was a gift of the goddess Kynareth, at the dawn of time. She gave the mortals the ability to speak as dragons do. Despite the misuse of the Thu'um, the only true use of the Voice is for the worship and glory of the gods. True mastery of the Voice can only be achieved when your inner spirit is in harmony with your outward actions. In the contemplation of the sky, Kynareth's domain, and the practice of the Voice, we strive to achieve this balance." he finished, completing his lengthy explanation. Varion tried to process all of, whatever that was.

"But I don't follow your philosophy" he finally answered, deciding on saying something that at least he definitely understood. "Why are you helping me?" Arngeir didn't seem bothered by that admission.

"Ah, the dragonborn is an exception. Your dragon blood, your power, it is a gift from the gods themselves. Akatosh gifted you the ability to shout, we would not be so foolish as to try and deny that gift" he explained. "While we encourage you to follow the way of the voice, your destiny requires your power to shout. Use your voice to succeed in your destiny, in the service of Akatosh and you will follow the way of the voice without trying" he continued. Varion nodded.

"I see. Thanks for the explanation master" he said, bowing his head once again. If he kept doing that, his neck was going to be sore.

"You are welcome. Now if I may ask, where will you travel now Varion?" Arngeir inquired. Varion turned his back, but glanced over his shoulder to look at the old man.

"I've got a little pest problem to take care of. Nothing to worry about" he reassured, and with that, he walked out of High Hrothgar. "_Oh I wish it was that simple…" _he thought to himself.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"It's about time you got here" Delphine complained as Varion walked over to her. It took a lot of willpower not to smash her face in right there and then. He'd been on the road for a full 2 days after resting in Ivarstead, and although he could take it, he was still grumpy from being awake that long.

"Give it a rest, you bitch" he muttered under his breath. The dragon side in him almost whispered in his ear, telling him to say it louder, but he mentally told it to shut up, as crazy as that may have sounded. "Whatever. I had stuff to do. Anything interesting happen around here?" he asked as he glanced around Kynesgrove. For his first visit back to Eastmarch since he was a 7 year old child, he was hoping to see Windhelm, city of kings, not this tiny mining town, or whatever it was.

"I've been camped here for 3 days now. I'm not seeing any sign of a dragon yet, but-" Delphine was cut off by a loud roar, and Varion tensed up. It was the same roar as he'd heard at Helgen, distinctly different from the last dragon he'd killed.

"Well, there's the dragon" Varion said dejectedly.

"Why the hell did it show up right as you got here? That's way too convenient!" Delphine moaned, but she took off at a run towards a hill near Kynesgrove. Varion shrugged and followed her. After a short run, they came across the burial mound that Delphine had talked about, only to find a giant black dragon flying around it.

"Son of a bitch! I know this dragon!" Varion growled. Delphine glanced back at him in surprise.

"You do?" she asked.

"Yeah, Helgen. This is the bastard that saved my life and burned the town to the ground" he explained, begrudgingly admitting that he'd be dead if the dragon hadn't attacked. "Huh, ironic" he thought to himself. They watched as the dragon just flapped its wings and flew in place right next to the mound. A snowstorm had kicked up as Varion had arrived in town, but Varion could still hear the beast speak.

"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse! Slen Tiid Vo!" As it spoke, Varion recognised the last three words as some kind of shout. His eyes widened as a wave of energy blasted forth from its mouth. As it collided with the stone of the burial mound, it exploded and a skeleton seemingly rose from the earth, a dragons skeleton. Varion frowned.

"_What in the hell?"_ he thought, wondering what this dragon was doing. He walked a little closer, but felt a powerful force pushing against him the closer he got, so he remained in place. The dragons skeleton finished emerging from the rubble and turned it's boney head towards the big black living dragon.

"Alduin, thuri! Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?" it spoke from it's dead bones. However, as it spoke, Varions eyes widened in shock. The dragon's scales seemed to be forming, returning it to a far more lively state. It was being brought back to life. He heard Delphine gasp beside him, but he didn't care. He pushed harder and the force seemed to die out. He slowly walked closer to the two dragons, drawing the Blade of Whiterun from his back. The black dragon spoke again.

"Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir". It was at this point that Varion was getting sick of only knowing a handful of words from the dragon tongue. Knowing more would really come in useful in understanding these creatures.

"Hey! Bastard! You owe me revenge for what you did to Helgen!" he shouted at the flying dragon and both of them looked at him, as if in mild curiosity. The black dragon, Alduin apparently, scoffed.

"Ful, losei Dovahkiin?" it spoke. Varion couldn't understand two thirds of those words, but he could still detect the unbearably smug tone in the dragon's voice. "You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah!" Alduin spat angrily. Varion glared back.

"I know enough of your tongue to blast your scaly face out of the sky!" he threatened, feeling the power build in his throat. The dragon seemed to snort.

"I felt the presence of the dragonborn near my next ally that I was going to resurrect, and so I came to meet my destined foe. I was expecting someone more impressive!" Alduin mocked, and Varion drew breath.

"FUS RO DAH!" At his shout, a massive wave of energy tore forth from Varions mouth and slammed into Alduin. Varion was amazed at just how much power his shout carried, but he was also nervous at the fact that Alduin didn't seem to be affected by his shout, he hadn't budged.

"Your power is lacking, Dovahkiin. Sahloknir, krii daar joorre!" it roared and the other dragon roared as well. Alduin took flight and flew off, but Varion was more concerned with the dragon that was now going to kill him and Delphine, or at least try to.

"Well, that was interesting" Delphine said in a deadpan tone. Varion rolled his eyes and stared down the other dragon.

"You wanna play big guy?" he asked mockingly, motioning for the dragon to come at him. It roared in response and took flight, soaring around the sky waiting to dive in for an attack. Varion tightened his grip on his sword and prayed that he could do the miraculous feat of slaying a dragon twice in his life, and hopefully he wouldn't end up dangling from one this time.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion swung the Blade of Whiterun down hard, leaving a burning cut in the dragons leg. He and Delphine had been fighting it for about 2 minutes now and it was proving to be a fairly easy battle, comparatively. Delphine had tried shooting it down, but it was too quick. However, they had been able to dodge its fly-by breath attacks, a new shout that breathed cold in the same way the other dragon had breathed fire. He'd heard the shout, Fo Krah Din, but just hearing them wasn't enough to learn them. The attack didn't matter seeing as they avoided it every time, meaning that they were at a bit of a stalemate seeing as Varion didn't have a bow anymore. However, the dragonborn was nothing without his amazing plans that relied a little too much on luck. He'd used the full power of Unrelenting Force once again, but this time he'd aimed for the wing. The thing had snapped like a twig and the dragon had crash landed where he was now fighting it in close quarters. He was circling it as best he could, injuring it all over to try to slow it down. Delphine was keeping her distance, seeing as her armour was pathetic by comparison to his, but her arrows had put one of Sahloknir's eyes out. He jumped backwards as the dragon pathetically attempted to attack him with it's tail and he made his way back to the creatures face. He saw Sahloknir prepare to fire another breath attack, but Varion wasn't going to allow that. Gripping his sword tightly, he rammed it directly into the dragon's throat and the monsters voice was silenced, choking on the dwarven steel. Varion then tore it out and stabbed it into the roof of Sahloknir's mouth through the tongue and it came out the bottom of the dragons mouth. Varion was a little disgusted, but mainly just satisfied with his kill. The dragon went limp, no way it was surviving that. Varion tore the sword out of its mouth and smirked. This had been so much easier than the last dragon fight, and he'd be lying if he said that he didn't get a thrill from that. Delphine walked over to his side, out of breath.

"Well I'll be damned, we did it!" she said in awe. However, the dragon then began to glow and it's scales began to disintegrate. "Wait, what is this?" she said in alarm. Varion stepped forward, eagerly awaiting the power of the dragons soul. He absorbed it just like he did the first time and felt all his energy return and his wounds heal. He didn't get the same sensation of unlocking a word of power like he did last time, but he figured that it was because he didn't have any to learn. He turned and glanced back at Delphine who was staring at him in shock.

"This enough proof of who I am?" he asked rhetorically, doing his best to tone down the edge in his voice. He felt so powerful, so unstoppable that he was actually struggling to come down off the high of absorbing the dragon soul. He felt Arngeir's words in his head and breathed deeply, trying to regain full control and clear vision.

"There's no doubting it, you are the dragonborn" Delphine replied, gazing at him like he was some sort of god. "I owe you some answers, don't I?" she added. Varion nodded, his gaze slowly softening from hard as steel to just a frown.

"First off, who are you really, and what do you want with me?"

"I'm one of the last surviving members of the blades, an order of dragonslayers from long ago," she replied. Varion raised an eyebrow, though she couldn't have seen it through the darkness of the storm and the fact that he wore his helmet. "We served the dragonborn, the greatest dragonslayer and the warrior with the dragons soul" she added.

"I've never heard of the blades" Varion admitted and Delphine looked down dejectedly.

"Can't say I'm surprised. We used to be known all across Tamriel as the protector of the Septim emperors, but that was 200 years ago. We've been searching for a purpose since then, and now that you're here, we've found one. The blades will guard and guide the dragonborn once again" she finished. Varion scoffed internally.

"We? No offence, but you are hardly an order" he commented. Delphines expression hardened for a moment, but then turned to sadness.

"The blades are all but extinct. 30 years ago, in the great war, we fought the Thalmor in the shadows across Tamriel on the side of the empire. We were nearly wiped out, I was one of the only ones that survived" she said sadly. Varion clenched his fist tightly.

"Thalmor bastards…" he growled. He didn't much care for Delphine or her order, but the Thalmor were the enemy that would always be at the top of his hate list. He pushed the thought aside, he had more important issues to worry about first. "What do you know about the dragons coming back?" he asked.

"Not a damn thing. I was just as surprised as you to find that big black dragon here. If it was the same one that torched Helgen like you said, it's clearly not ordinary" she said.

"Once it brought another dragon back to life, I kinda figured that" Varion deadpanned.

"We've got to figure out who's behind the dragons coming back. If I had to guess, I'd say the Thalmor are involved somehow" Delphine continued, ignoring Varions remark.

"Those guys? What makes you think they are behind this?" he inquired.

"Nothing solid, yet. But my gut tells me it can't be anyone else. We've got to find out" she insisted.

"Fine. Do you have a plan?" Varion conceded. He didn't like going off this gut feeling of Delphine, but she was offering him a chance to screw up the Thalmor. He'd be lying if he said that wasn't tempting.

"Not yet. Give me some time. I'll send for you when I've got something worked out, but it might not be for a while" Delphine said, offering Varion her hand. Unlike the last time, they actually shook hands and Varion felt almost willing to work with her. "Keep an eye on the sky Varion. Things are only going to get crazier" she warned. Varion grimaced.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," he said with determination. He'd killed two dragons, and it seemed to be getting easier. If that dragon, Alduin, was going to be bringing dragons back to life, then Varion would just keep putting them back in the ground.

* * *

A/N:Haha! Behold the update! Yeah, still getting through the more boring quests and I shortened the dragon fight a lot compared to the last time, but it was all done for your convenience.

Thank you for all the favourites and reviews, they mean a lot and help me to stay encouraged to keep the story going!

Next time, I've got something a bit more interesting planned than just the main quest, so stay tuned! Thanks for watching and I'll see you all next time!

**Dragon Language**

Fus Ro Dah - Force Balance Push (Unrelenting Force)

Fo Krah Diin - Frost Cold Freeze (Frost Breath)


	14. Proving Honour 1 - Raging Heat

**Last time on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion was named a god by the greybeards, or something. He's not really sure what it means, but he was told not to worry about it. Afterwards, he killed another dragon that was brought back to life by the same dragon that torched Helgen. Who is this dragon, and what impact will it have on Varions life?

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The rowdiness of Jorvaskrr was honestly not an unwelcome sight when Varion walked back in the hall. Ria and Athis were currently duking it out in the same spot as Njada had beaten up Athis, so business was as usual. The other companions were gathered around cheering, but Farkas noticed Varion come in. "_He heard the door open over all this? Guy must have good hearing"_ Varion thought absentmindedly.

"By the nine…" Farkas said quietly. Varion tilted his head curiously. "Shield-siblings, it's the dragonborn!" he shouted and the fight broke up. Varion now noticed everyone staring at him and he felt slightly uncomfortable. Most of them then cheered and ran over to him. He saw Vilkas simply grunt and turn away and Njada was glaring at him, but the rest greeted him warmly.

"Shield-Brother! You killed the dragon!"

"So now you're a thane huh? Looks like someone's making a name for themselves!"

"It's been too long! We should get a pint and discuss stories!"

"Ok ok, give the man some space!" Skjor commanded as the crowd of admirers backed off. Varion breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't in any mood to relive the time where he'd had the whole of the bannered mare practically worshipping him. "So new blood, I hear you've had quite the adventure since we were last face to face?" he questioned. Varion nodded.

"You could say that" he replied bluntly. Skjor raised an eyebrow.

"Not much of a storyteller huh?" he asked rhetorically. He then smiled, albeit slightly. "It's a pleasant change from those who spend all day boasting and can't even raise a sword. It's good to see, despite what you are now, you're still a companion" he said, offering his hand. Varion shook it firmly.

"Of course. These titles mean little to me" Varion assured, half offended that Skjor insinuated that Varion would've ever thought himself above the companions just because he was a thane, or dragonborn. Well, the dragon side of him might have a different opinion about the latter title, but it was quiet now. Despite devouring a dragons soul 2 days ago, he hadn't felt his dragon nature rear it's head since then.

"Well, if you're not too busy saving Skyrim, we have a test for you" Skjor said, his smile gone, a business like tone in his voice. Varion raised an eyebrow. "To prove your honour as a true companion, we have a quest lined up for you. Do this, and you'll have earned the title of a shield brother" Skjor elaborated. Varion nodded.

"Just tell me what needs to be done, and it'll be done" he replied.

"We had a scholar come to us while you were gone and he informed us about the possible location of a fragment of Wuuthrad, the legendary axe of Ysgramor. The circle has decided that this is a suitable challenge for you to prove yourself properly" Skjor explained. Varions heart sank, but his face remained the same.

"You need me to go into a nordic ruin and fetch something, don't you…" he said in a deadpan tone. Skjor snickered a little.

"It may be a simple errand, but the challenge involved will give us the chance to see what you can really do. A tomb of nordic draugr should prove far more challenging than beating up Nazeem, yes?" Varion scoffed.

"I guess I see your point. What ruin?"

"Dustman's Cairn, northwest of Whiterun" Skjor said. Varion handed over his map and Skjor marked the position. "There, just across the plains. Farkas will be joining you on this venture" he added. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"Why do I need a helper for my test?" he asked.

"We need to have someone there to witness your valour and Farkas is the member of the circle who volunteered." Skjor replied. "He can answer your questions from here on out." Varion nodded, but he couldn't deny his disappointment. He had hoped to take Lydia if he needed a companion, or perhaps he'd go back to Riverwood and get Faendal to tag along. He missed the elfs company and he hadn't had a chance to catch up with him since the dragon attack seeing as he'd been out on a hunting trip when he'd stopped at Riverwood to meet Delphine.

"Alright Skjor, give me a bit of time and that shard is ours" Varion said with determination in his voice. The older companion nodded.

"That's what I like to hear. Try to make sure Farkas comes back alive, would you?" he said before wandering off. Varion sighed.

"God damn dungeons…" he muttered before walking off to find Farkas. The crowd had dispersed when Skjor had taken him aside to give him his job, so now he had to track the brute down. At least he stood out, he was easily the biggest in the place, about the same size as Varion himself. Glancing around the room, he saw Ria, Torvar, Athis, Aela, that nuisance called Vilkas, but no Farkas. Sighing again, he figured that he was outside. As he made his way over though, someone moved to block the door to Jorvaskr's backyard.

"And where do you think you're going?" Njada spat. Varion stared down his challenger, anger quickly building within him.

"_I just got back, is she serious?"_ he thought.

"Didn't you hear me meathead?" she asked, rudeness emanating from every syllable. Varion clenched his fist.

"Njada, get out of my way" he said coldly. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her at all.

"What's wrong? Mr big-shot thane too high and mighty for a rematch?" she taunted. Varion blinked. She was serious. Seriously annoying. He shook his head and walked to move past her, but she stood back in his way.

"You get one chance. Move it" Varion warned. Njada only rolled her eyes.

"You made a fool of me. The least you can do is lose to me this time!" she said, throwing a punch at his face. It connected and turned Varions head to the side and he slowly turned it back to look at Njada again, who now had a massive smirk on her face. He took off his right gauntlet and Njada took notice. "So, we gonna do this? Or are you gonna-" She never got to finish her sentence.

"Move it bitch!" Varion half shouted, raising his voice but not in an actual shout. Of course, accompanied with his words was his right fist. He swung it hard right at her face and it connected with an almost audible crunch. Njada practically flew into one of the wooden beams holding up the ceiling of Jorrvaskr and then fell to the ground, groaning in great pain. Varions face held a fiery expression and his glare was quite terrifying. The other companions all stared in awe at what had just happened.

"Did he just-"

"He took down Njada in one-"

"So strong!"

"He was holding back last time!"

"Damn idiot" Varion muttered to the practically unconscious Njada. He hadn't held back with that punch, though he was half surprised at his own strength. He'd felt stronger ever since he absorbed the first dragon soul, but this was pretty tangible proof. Paying no heed to the mutters around him, Varion opened the door and went off to find Farkas, praying that he wouldn't have to punch anyone else in the face within at least the next 6 hours.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Well, he didn't exactly get his wish, but punching draugr was different than punching people, right? Maybe? Varion had this thought absentmindedly rattling around in his head and he and Farkas made their way through the tomb. Killing these undead was easy, he had a flaming greatsword, a shocking orcish sword and his unenchanted blade still made chopping limbs off these guys easy as hell. Being a walking armoury had it's perks, despite his lack of a proper ranged attack besides his thu'um. He'd taken to chopping different limbs off the draugr at proper openings in order to cripple them, letting him deal with the other enemies while they flopped around helplessly. Of course, to kill a draugr you had to destroy it's brain, heart, decapitate it or chop it into a million or so pieces. Losing a limb just made it angry. Varion shoved open a door and he and Farkas entered another new room. He saw a passageway with a steel gate in front of it on one side of the room and a smaller room with a lever in it. "I guess that's how we keep going" Varion said rhetorically, gesturing at the lever with his orcish blade which he then proceeded to sheath.

"I'd say so. I'm going to find potions and supplies. Check out the lever" Farkas grunted before going off to do just that. Varion liked his simplicity and kind heart, made a nice change from scheming scumbags who couldn't raise a proper fist, like Nazeem. Varion made his way over to the lever at a leisurely pace, picking up some healing potions that were scattered over a nearby table as he did so. He reached it and pulled, hearing the trademark sound of a gate opening as he did so. However, he also heard the sound of one closing. His heart sank and he turned around, seeing the steel bars now imprisoning him. Farkas had taken notice and walked over, an amused look on his face.

"Seems this was a trap" Varion said with a deadpan tone. Farkas chuckled.

"It would seem like it. Sit tight, I'll find the rel-" Before he finished his sentence, Farkas tensed up and span around, drawing his greatsword. Varion raised an eyebrow, unsure of what provoked this reaction. However, 5 seconds later, he saw six armoured warriors run into the room, all brandishing weapons.

"_Again with the hearing?"_ Varion thought to himself. He tensed up, the warriors outnumbered Farkas badly, and while Varion had faith in his shield brother, a six on one fight with weapons wasn't exactly a favourable matchup no matter who you were.

"It's time to die dog!" one of the warriors spat.

"You damned silver hand can't quit, can you?" Farkas said in exasperation.

"Why would we quit when we have monsters to destroy!" another of them shot back.

"Let's kill him! This'll make for a good story!" the first warrior said, twirling his sword. Surprisingly, Farkas dropped his sword.

"None of you will be alive to tell it" he said simply. Suddenly, he began to change. Farkas grew taller, bigger and… furrier? Before Varions eyes, Farkas had become a werewolf. Before Varion could get over his shock, wolf Farkas charged at the silver hand. It was a bloodbath, they were literally torn apart. Without pausing, Farkas ran off down the newly opened hallway. Varions head was still spinning. Farkas was a werewolf.

"_Well, that would explain the hearing"_ Varion thought to himself. Farkas had also been able to tell when draugr were hiding around corners via their smell, so Varion also attributed that to his wolf side. Before he could think too much on it, the gate opened and regular Farkas came running over.

"Well, gates open. Hopefully that wasn't too scary" he joked. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"So, you're a werewolf. Is that common knowledge?" he inquired. He'd only encountered a werewolf once before on his travels and it wasn't a fun encounter. He may have ran away from the beast, but he'd escaped from a very pissed off, now one armed werewolf. He smirked at the memory, not many men could've pulled that off.

"It is to the circle. All of them are werewolves" Farkas explained.

"So, am I gonna be a werewolf?" Varion asked, not sure what he hoped the answer to be.

"Oh no, only the circle have the beast blood. Focus on becoming a true companion first. Eyes on the prey, not the horizon" Farkas said, shutting down that fantasy. For now at least, Varion remembered. He was sure that he could be a member of the circle, after all, he already pressured Vilkas in combat and he was dragonborn. Surely he'd be able to earn his place among them? He cleared his mind and walked down the hallway that Farkas came from, the companion walking briskly behind him.

"One last question. Who were those dicks?" Varion asked nonchalantly. They didn't seem like regular bandits, their weapons were made of silver.

"The silver hand. Bad people who don't like werewolves, or us. We've got something of a rivalry going" Farkas replied.

"Huh. Well, add 'ending that rivalry' onto my to-do list" Varion said with levity. Farkas chuckled at this.

"I'm sure you could dragonborn, but let's stay focused for now," he said, reminding Varion of their current task. He shrugged, then opened up another door, revealing a room full of silver hand waiting for them. He drew his greatsword and charged, eager to put these bastards down.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Die you piece of shit!" Varion rolled his eyes. The silver hand that shouted this had barely gotten within swinging distance with his sword before Varion had unleashed Whirlwind sprint, shoulder-charging him into next week, or more specifically into a wall. The man fell to the ground, broken.

"My shouts a bit more impressive than yours" he snarked to the unconscious fool. "Like you've got any right to label me" he muttered under his breath. He reached down and snapped the man's neck before glancing over at Farkas. The brute of a nord had literally cleaved a forsworn in half with his greatsword and was cleaning the blood off his blade.

"The doors locked. Don't know where the key is" Farkas said with irritation, gesturing to the iron door at the end of the hall. The two bodies lying dead next to it implied that Farkas had thought to check it in the middle of a fight, like the considerate brute he was. Varion sighed in irritation, but then smirked.

"Sit tight, I've got a plan" he said confidently, only some of it being an act. He walked over in front of the door while Farkas watched him in curiosity. Varion drew breath and shouted. "FUS RO DAH!" The full power of unrelenting force tore forward from Varions mouth and the door went flying in the same direction. They ended up smacking into the stairs halfway down the room. Farkas regarded Varion with admiration.

"Now that's a new feat," he said. "Not many companions that can shout a door off its hinges," he joked. Varion shrugged.

"Beats lockpicking" he said. He may have been able to open some locks with picks, but this method was way easier, and it felt awesome. They walked into the room and Varion saw a pedestal at the end of the hallway with a metal fragment on top of it. "_Ah, that must be our shard"_ Varion thought to himself. However, he then noticed a strange looking segment of the wall at the back of the long hallway. It looked exactly like the wall in Bleak Falls Barrow, and he heard the same chanting in his head faintly. He heard Farkas say something, but he ignored it and walked towards the wall, the chanting only getting louder. He saw a word glow, and he stared at it, hearing it resound within his head. "Yol" he spoke aloud, knowing the meaning, but not really understanding it, not like his other words. When he thought of Fus, he imagined a raging wave of energy. When he thought of Wuld, he visualised a gale force wind. It was more than just his imagination, it was like the word took physical form in his mind, whatever sense that may not have made. Varion chuckled to himself, if he ever had to explain the sensation of knowing the thu'um, it would be a bitch of a task. Only Arngeir would probably get it. With Yol, he didn't get that same feeling of knowing the word. However, he then felt the dragon side of him rise up. He remembered the dragon soul he'd absorbed, as well as the words of Arngeir.

"_You have the ability to absorb a slain dragons life force and knowledge directly,"_ he had said. Varion concentrated, thinking of Yol and the dragon soul he'd taken. He focused, the dragon's soul causing his whole body to heat up and he thought of Yol again.

"_Fire"_. This time, instead of just a word crossing his thoughts, his mind blazed with fire, incinerating everything in its path. After a couple seconds, Varion's body cooled down, but the dragon side of him was more noticeable than ever. The damn thing was always there, he could hear it like a seperate voice in his head, except it wasn't a separate voice, merely his own thoughts from a different part of him. He could no longer feel the dragon souls energy coursing through his body and he guessed that he'd used up the energy to get his new thu'um. He breathed deeply, trying to calm the dragon and glanced at Farkas, who was looking at him with confusion and concern.

"Um, shield-brother, what just happened? You've been staring into nothing for about 20 seconds" he said with unease. Varion chuckled.

"Sorry. Dragonborn stuff" he said, closing the matter. He walked over and grabbed the fragment of Wuuthrad from its pedestal, then glanced back at Farkas. "You want to loot that chest? You see anything cool in there, it's you-" Before he could finish the offer, he heard the telltale sign of a draugrs coffin open. Then another one, and another one, and more after that. When Varion glanced up, about 20 coffins had opened around the room and a quick head count showed 19 draugr ready to fight him. Varion sighed in annoyance. These guys were bastards. He saw them all line up, then walk forward in almost a formation.

"Looks too orderly for a draugr attack" Farkas said observantly.

"Maybe they were comrades before they became this." Varion suggested absentmindedly. He didn't really care either way. "Well, they lived together, they died together, now they can die again together!" The dragon side of him was practically asking to take charge for a bit, and Varion mentally shrugged. Why not give into his battle-lust for a little while? He broke into an excited grin at the thought and felt fire run through his blood, Yol coursing through his mind.

"So, how will we deal with them? You take the 9 on the left, I'll take the 10 on the right?" Farkas offered. Varion considered it, then thought of a better idea.

"Nah. I've got a better idea" he replied, walking forward to meet the slowly advancing draugr. "You probably won't get this, but I think I just learnt a new shout. Whatever happened, now I've got a fire in my belly!" he half-shouted with excitement. Farkas looked at Varion strangely.

"You're acting weird" he muttered. Varion, the usually stoic warrior who he'd never seen express more than anger, calm or sarcasm was now practically glowing with enthusiasm. Varion stood in front of the draugr and readied himself. He drew breath and envisioned the raging blaze of fire.

"YOL!" A torrent of flame flew from his lips and crashed into the draugr. The flame didn't make it very far down the hall, but Varion had chosen to focus more on it's width, not it's longevity. Either way, it had the intended effect. The small battalion of draugr screeched in pain and Varion charged in with his twin blades. Every slash cut through the undead like a hot knife through butter and before long, he was standing in a pile of draugr body parts, still uncharacteristically grinning. He then breathed deeply and closed his eyes once he saw that the threat was gone. He felt some guilt, the high of learning a new word had been damn strong. It reminded him of when he'd first learned Fus. He'd used that shout immediately after learning it, but letting this one sit unused for a while had amped the dragon side of him up into an excited state. Seeing as it was a battle, this time, he went along with it. However, he'd need to keep it in check for the future. He thought guiltily about how he could've chosen Farkas as his test dummy.

"You have the shard. Can we leave now?" Farkas asked, eager to get out of the tomb.

"_Thank Hircine for his good nature. Anyone else would've kept bugging me about what happened"_ Varion thought gratefully.

"Yeah, let's get out of here. My honours been proven" Varion agreed, heading for the coffin that had a passageway instead of a solid base. He'd be glad to breathe fresh air again.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Excellent work boy!" Kodlak congratulated as he took the shard from Varion. Varion inwardly smirked.

"_All this power I wield, all the titles I have in this city, and he still calls me boy? I like it"_ he decided. He looked up to Kodlak, the wise old man had far more experience than he, and he much preferred the old mentor type attitude to if Kodlak was another one of his fans. "I did it for the companions" Varion replied. Kodlak nodded.

"Well lad, I'd say you've proved your honour. Come, let us make it official!" he said, walking out to the back of Jorrvaskr. Varion followed. The old man had been waiting for him in the upstairs part of the hall, but the other members of the circle besides Farkas were nowhere to be seen. As he walked outside, he saw them standing in a line with a gap in the middle, presumably for Kodlak to stand. He did so, then turned to Varion. Farkas stood at the end of the line, and all their eyes were on Varion. Despite their gazes, Varion stood tall, proud of his achievement.

"Brothers and sisters of the Circle, today we welcome a new soul into our mortal fold. This man has endured, has challenged, and has shown his valor. Who will speak for him?" Farkas spoke up next.

"I stand witness to the courage of the soul before us." Kodlak glanced over at him as well as did the rest of the circle. "Would you raise your shield in his defense?"

"I would stand at his back, that the world might never overtake us."

"And would you raise your sword in his honor?"

"It stands ready to meet the blood of his foes."

"And would you raise a mug in his name?"

"I would lead the song of triumph as our mead hall reveled in his stories." Kodlak nodded, then they all looked back towards Varion.

"_Good grief, do they have a script or something that they follow for this?"_ he thought with a little impatience. He was honoured and all, but this was a long ceremony. Kodlak continued on though.

"Then the judgement of this Circle is complete. His heart beats with fury and courage that have united the Companions since the days of the distant green summers. Let it beat with ours, that the mountains may echo and our enemies may tremble at the call."

"It shall be so." Aela, Skjor and even Vilkas all spoke at once, looking at Varion as they did. Skjor held respect in his eyes, Aela held interest that Varion couldn't quite place and Vilkas held grudging admiration. Varion nodded towards them all.

"It's an honour, shield-siblings, harbinger" Varion said, paying respect to them. They all returned the nod, then walked off except for Kodlak.

"Well Varion, you're one of us now," he said, quieter than his voice had been when he announced Varions new companion role. "I trust you won't disappoint?"

"Hmph. If I disappoint, dragons raze skyrim to the ground. I have no intention of screwing up" Varion replied grimly.

"Don't worry about that. When you're with us, you're a companion, not the dragonborn. We're not going to hold you to impossible standards" Kodlak assured him. "Just because you're extraordinary doesn't mean you always have to act extraordinary" he added. Varion then raised an eyebrow.

"Speaking of extraordinary, all the circle. You guys are werewolves, correct?" He saw Kodlak tense.

"How do you know about that?"

"Farkas transformed in front of me in Dustman's Cairn. Tore apart some silver hand" At this, Kodlak sighed.

"At least it was out of necessity. Still, you've been allowed to know some secrets ahead of time" he said regretfully. "Ah, no matter. Today is a day for your celebrations, we'll discuss the silver hand and the… other thing, another day" Kodlak said, diverting the subject. Varion internally groaned, but he nodded.

"If that is your wish Kodlak" he answered, agreeing to give up his curiosity, at least for now.

"It is. Take care lad" Kodlak answered, clapping Varion on the shoulder. The dragonborn nodded, then watched Kodlak walk back into Jorrvaskr.

"Gimme a break. Nothing's ever normal in this land" Varion muttered to himself, vowing to find out more about the silver hand, and the werewolves of the companions.

* * *

A/N:YEAH! QUICK UPDATE BOI! Not gonna lie, I'm really hoping to blaze through all these early quests so I can get to the good stuff, like my own original arcs (*gasps*). Yes, original arcs. Stay tuned for those, they won't be for a while!

So, more of Varions dragon nature comes out to play! I hope you guys liked the description of using a dragon soul to unlock a word of power. I'll never be including it again, at least not that indepth, so just refer back here if you want to know the process.

If you guys picked up on the references in this chapter, chuck it in a review and you'll get a cookie if you're correct. I chucked a few of them in here, I just couldn't resist.

Next episode, Varion has no set schedule! I'll be waiting a while before writing the next chapter, so you guys can suggest what Varion should do next! I'm hoping to branch away from questlines for a bit, so leave it down below! Whether he should do side quests, miscellaneous quests, chill with his followers, beat someone up, no idea is too crazy! (probably)

Thank you for the favourites and follows and especially the reviews, they really keep my motivation up! Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!

**DRAGON LANGUAGE**

Yol - Fire (Fire Breath)


	15. Proving Honour 2 - Krosis

**Last time on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion succeeded in proving his honour to the Companions, but he's unearthed more mysteries. The elite Companions are werewolves, and now there is a group of werewolf hunters that Varion has to worry about…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

Rest wasn't something that came easy to Varion nowadays, but lying down on his bed was pretty damn relaxing. His head swam with thoughts of the last few weeks. He'd slain two dragons, become a companion, a thane, beat up two different blond nord womanising bards, met the greybeards, met a bitch (or Delphine, as her given name would suggest), and he'd seen more fighting than he'd ever wanted to experience in such a short time. Oh, and he was the Dragonborn. That still hadn't really sunk in. Varion put his hand over his eyes. Sure, it was an honour and all that, but this role came with a destiny that he wasn't really sure he was ready to handle. I mean, he was only 25 years old, he'd hardly lived long, yet he'd experienced much more than most men would have. In addition to his youth, he had a mighty temper and a tendency to pick fights, but he was supposed to be the legendary hero of Skyrim?

"Gimme a break…" he muttered aloud, exasperated by the thoughts swirling through his mind. He glanced over at his weapons sitting in the rack by the wall. He'd gotten Breezehome furnished since he bought it and he'd insisted on having several places to keep weapons. He really liked his collection, and it was only going to get bigger.

"Is something wrong my thane?" Lydia asked, glancing up from the book she was reading. Varion had been a little weirded out by her just sitting there in his bedroom at the table, but he'd gotten used to it as they sat there in comfortable silence.

"No, nothing. Just a bit stressed" Varion admitted. "How's things been with you?" he continued.

"Well, hearing that my thane fought another dragon without telling me was quite the shock" Lydia said sarcastically. Varion winced. When he'd told Lydia that, the look of shock, disbelief and even anger on her face had been surprising. It took him a few seconds to pick up on why, but Lydia had been afraid for her thane. If he had died, she would've felt pretty awful for not being there, and Varion felt a bit guilty for not thinking of that. They were fine now, but Varion remembered his promise to tell her when he went off dragon hunting. He mentally chuckled, that was not a promise he thought he'd have to make in his lifetime.

"I've been so bored, I think a dragon slaying might be welcome. It'd give me a chance to stretch" Varion complained before getting up off the bed. He grabbed his armour from the mannequin he'd had fitted to the corner of the room and began to put it on.

"Are you going out my thane?" Lydia asked curiously. Varion nodded.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go get some work from the companions. We could use a bit more coin" he answered as he grabbed his weapons from the rack. He chose to forgo having his full equipment list and instead just went with the Blade of Whiterun. "Tag along Lydia, I'd like company on this journey" he added. Lydia sat up straighter and smiled.

"I would be honoured my thane" she said happily. Varion smirked. Lydia was like him in more ways than one. Strong warrior, straightforward, hated being cooped up inside.

"Great, let's get going" Varion replied, practically out the door already. Lydia grabbed her war axe and followed along eagerly. The trek through the plains district was a pleasant one. Most of the citizens of Whiterun smiled at Varion, their saviour and a companion. Varion mostly returned their smiles with a simple nod, but the one time that he did allow himself to smirk is when Nazeem saw him and suddenly became very interested in something else and walked quickly in the opposite direction of Varion. Upon seeing Lydia's raised eyebrow, he simply continued his smirk and mouthed "I'll tell you later". Upon making it to Jorrvaskr, he was greeted by Farkas.

"Good to see you shield brother! What brings you back here?" he asked, clapping Varion on the shoulder.

"It's been too long since I got into a fight. I could either knock out Njada, or I could get some work" Varion joked. Farkas gave a hearty laugh.

"Last I heard, Aela had a lot of job requests piling up. I'd go talk to her about it" he said, gesturing towards the back doors of Jorrvaskr, implying she was outside. Varion nodded and moved past him, but Farkas put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Varion turned and regarded his shield brother with curiosity. "If I may, I'd like to have a fight with you some time" Farkas asked. Varion's eyebrow raised instinctively before a smirk came over his face.

"Sure, sounds fun. Maybe someone in this hall can make me break a sweat" he challenged. Farkas grinned with excitement.

"Then it's decided! Find me when you've finished your job and we'll see about our match" he declared before walking off. Varion chuckled to himself. He really did like that man. He walked to the training area, this time not being interrupted by Njada who was sitting in a corner looking bitterly at him. He found Aela outside firing arrows at a target and he tapped her on the shoulder. As he went to do so, he heard Ria call out that it wasn't a good idea, but before she could finish, Aela had whipped around and now held an arrow in her hand, the tip pressed against Varions throat. Varion gazed at her with a neutral expression on his face and Aela was surprised at his lack of reaction. She then felt a small poke to her stomach and glanced down, seeing that Varion had his dagger point braced against her armour. The two warriors gazed at each other, while Lydia kept her hand on her sword hilt. Before long though, both Varion and Aela began laughing. They withdrew their weapons and clasped hands in a handshake. Lydia let out a breath, she hadn't exactly been on edge seeing as the companions didn't kill each other, but she was glad her thane was no longer being held at arrow point.

"Not bad Aela, but I had my dagger aimed right at your stomach. You're getting careless" Varion teased, or as much as his deadpan voice allowed it. Even when in a more casual mood, his voice still carried authority and deepness, meaning that it was quite difficult to interpret his remarks with their intended purpose. He inwardly grimaced, thinking of the time he'd gotten punched in the face for having a "stuck up tone" when he was actually offering a compliment, not sarcasm, but he ignored the flashback.

"Oh please, I could've caused you to bleed out before that kitchen knife so much as scratched me" Aela retorted. Varion rolled his eyes before his smile lessened a little.

"Farkas says you have work for me" he said, getting down to business.

"Well, I've got a handful of jobs. There's a bear attacking trading caravans going between here and Windhelm, someone's home got invaded by a saber cat…" Aela counted off jobs on her ten fingers, soon running out of them to count on as Varion half listened. Beasts of skyrim were everywhere causing trouble in all the holds, but none of these jobs really appealed to him. However, he'd have to make a choice soon. "Oh, wait, here's one" Aela said, pulling a letter out of a satchel she wore. "I meant to give this to you, it's more of an unusual request than the others" she said mysteriously, handing it to Varion. He raised an eyebrow, but looked the letter over.

"Hmm, blah blah blah, help of the companions, blah blah, The Pale, Shearpoint, blah blah… KILL A DRAGON?" Varion couldn't help but raise his voice in surprise at the last part, and much to his annoyance, Aela snickered.

"Yes, it's been about a day since we got that request, we were waiting for you to show up to accept it. It's the biggest request we've gotten in years" Aela admitted, fiddling with her quiver as she did. "We need to do something about it, this dragon has been proving quite a threat to the people, killing travelers, burning down a farm here and there. You're the most qualified one to take it down" she elaborated. Varion looked over the letter again, and chuckled slightly.

"I'll be happy to put that oversized lizard in the ground," he declared with determination. Aela regarded him with interest again.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, I like your fire Varion" she said with admiration in her tone. Varion raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't suppose you'd want company? I know you've already got your housecarl-"

"Lydia. Her name is Lydia" Varion corrected. Aela glanced at the woman in question, then nodded.

"Sorry. You have Lydia, but surely having more companions when fighting a dragon would be a good idea?" she asked. Varion considered this. On one hand, yes, having multiple warriors to fight a dragon was a good idea. On the other hand, more people to get hurt if they lost… He pushed the thought aside.

_She's a companion for Talos' sake. There's no way she's any less capable than I, apart from the whole shouting thing._ He then turned back to Aela and nodded.

"So, we shall depart at once?" she asked eagerly.

"Well, yes, but we've got one more stop to make before heading to Shearpoint" Varion replied, absentmindedly adjusting the Blade of Whiterun on his back. Behind him, Lydia tilted her head in curiosity.

"Where might that be my thane?" she asked. Varion smirked.

"I've got an old friend that could be of some use to us," he answered, beginning to walk out towards the wind district. "Pack your supplies, we're off to Riverwood" he declared.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"So, this is that hunting job you said you needed help on?" Faendal whispered as they continued to trek up the mountain path. Varion glanced back and smirked.

"Thinking of backing out?" he asked jokingly. Faendal's eye roll did not go unnoticed.

"Of course not Varion, I just didn't think that the first time we saw each other in weeks would end up with me fighting a dragon" he retorted in a deadpan tone. Varion chuckled quietly, but they made sure to keep their exchange quiet.

They were close enough to see the dragon, perched atop of what looked like a word wall. That had sparked Varions interest, but they weren't close enough for him to hear that weird chanting, so he couldn't confirm it. He, Aela, Faendal and Lydia were still sneaking closer to the sleeping beast, with the wood elf and the companion having their bows drawn. Varion gripped the blade of Whiterun, seeing the snow melt as he held it close to the ground. He had taken charge as the leader of this little dragon killing expedition, and the archers waited on his command. He could only hope this dragon would die as easily as Sahloknir.

"Alright, fire when ready. Lydia, I need you to keep an eye at that coffin there" Varion ordered, gesturing with his sword.

"You think undead?" she asked. Varion groaned.

"It'd be easier to count the amount of times I've seen a coffin in Skyrim and something didn't come out of it" he snarked. "You've got the undead killing axe, you can take point on that. If you guys can wound the dragon enough to get it to stay in one spot, I can shout it's wing off or something" Upon seeing the looks of disbelief he got from his companions, he rolled his eyes. "What? That's how I won last time". Ending their brief planning meeting, Varion ran out towards the dragon, Lydia close behind. Just as he saw the creature begin to move, he also saw two arrows land directly in the creature, one in it's wing and the other right in it's eye. Based off it's roar, it was definitely pissed. Varion smirked at this. "FUS RO DAH!"

A torrential wave of energy blasted the dragon and, combined with it's half blindness, this was enough to push the creature off its pedestal and onto its back on the ground where it flailed angrily, half panicked, trying to flip itself over. However, Varion was already on top of it's exposed neck before it could manage that while thrashing around and he glared at the creature angrily. He thrust the blade of Whiterun into its wounded wing as hard as he could and the creature roared in pain. "You're grounded. You've got nowhere to run!" he warned the dragon, feeling his own Dovah nature boil within him. His thoughts turned violent, wanting to destroy this beast. The rage clouded his mind so much that he almost didn't hear Lydia's scream.

"WATCH OUT VARION!" He spun around and barely had time to leap off of the dragon. Where he was standing before, a fireball exploded, causing minor harm to the dragon which was still alive, but very angry now as it finally managed to get right-side-up. Glancing at the source of the magic attack, his eyes widened in shock. It was an undead, but far different from a draugr. It was skeletal and wore a cloak that seemed to be made of scales, but most unsettling was the mask on it's face. It was a mask frozen in one expression and he could make out a glow, implying it held power of it's own.

Obviously, the fiery cloak surrounding the undead thing and it's staff that was shooting fireballs was the more immediate problem. Varion racked his memory as he ran, circling the undead as he tried to think of what it was. The closest thing he thought of was some form of dragon priest, but that was only a fleeting memory from when his father told him about dragons and the dragon war. He managed to cut a fireball in half with the Blade of Whiterun, the fiery blade somehow dispelling the blazing ball, but he didn't stop to bless his good luck.

"Varion, what should we do?" he heard Faendal call. He and Aela had moved in, but there was now the dragon and the dragon priest to worry about. The scaly bastard was grounded, but still alive.

"I'll take this guy! That dragons half dead anyway, you guys kill it!" he commanded, hoping that he hadn't underestimated the dragon priest.

He moved in closer, barely dodging or deflecting fireballs. As he got within two meters of the priest, he swung his sword, but almost immediately recoiled from the heat. The cloak of fire was too hot to deal with at close range. The priest noticed his hesitation and lashed out with its staff, smacking him in the side of the head. Varion was stunned slightly, but then was hit with a fireball in the chest at point blank range. With a cry of pain, he was sent flying backwards and landed hard in the snow, it's chill a welcome feeling amongst his burning pain.

The blade of Whiterun had fallen out of his hand, but that wasn't his main concern right now. He felt his face, he wasn't too burnt to touch, but he was injured badly. He rolled over onto his stomach and began to push himself off the ground, but was then grabbed by the back of his neck. He growled and thrust an elbow backwards, but it missed the dragon priest seeing as he was aiming blind. At least the flame cloak had dissipated, seeing as he wasn't being burnt to death now.

The undead declared something in the dragon tongue that he couldn't quite understand, then it tossed him up into the air before grabbing him by his leg and slamming him into the ground. It was a hard impact and Varion had trouble seeing clearly for a while. However, before he could react, the dragon priest grabbed his other leg and threw him across the snowy ground. He hit a rock and came to a stop. He coughed and was disturbed to see his own blood on the ground.

"_Shit…" _he thought to himself. He didn't want to risk shouting, not in this wounded state where he couldn't even see properly. He had little time to think as he felt the dragon priest grip him by the front of his armour and lift him up with ease. It said more gibberish in the dragon tongue, but Varion really didn't care. He took all his strength left in his right arm and punched it right in the face. To his satisfaction, it was caught off guard by the attack and stumbled back, or as much as anything can stumble while it's floating. However, the dragon priest didn't release its grip and only seemed to be angrier.

It dropped the staff from it's hand and punched him right in the face, possessing remarkable strength for a corpse. Varion spat blood and felt pretty dizzy. He'd not been so close to losing a fight for a long time and his heart was racing, yet his thought remained rational. He could've sworn his helmet had a dent in it now, and he tore it off, smacking the dragon priest in the face with it, which seemed to confuse the creature more than anything. Varion, seeing maybe his last chance, grabbed his dagger from his thigh sheath and thrust towards the dragon priests throat, but his forearm was caught and the dragon priest laughed mockingly. Varion struggled against it, but the creatures grip was too strong, or rather, Varions strength was too drained.

He growled in annoyance, desperately trying to overpower the creature with strength he simply didn't have left, but just as it seemed that this damned priest would be his end, he felt a now-familiar surge. His injuries appeared to heal, his vision cleared and all his strength returned. Both he and the priest glanced over at the dragon, or rather, the dragons skeleton and saw Lydia, Aela and Faendal all breathing heavily around it, though they were slowly making their way over to Varion, drinking healing potions as they did. Their faces were a mixture of pure anger, battle lust and fear. However, Varion didn't need any help now. His arm had all its strength back and he now overpowered the priest, slowly but surely. The priest whipped it's masked face back to look at Varion, but it would have only saw a smirk of victory on the Nords face. Varion stabbed the dagger directly into the priests chin right under his mask, then pulled back towards himself. Like he hoped, the mask came with the dagger, flying off the dragon priests face who gave one final scream to the heavens.

"KROSIS!" it roared, before it's hand released Varion who fell to the ground and landed on all fours, quickly snatching the mask off the ground. The priest disintegrated before his eyes and he breathed heavily, thanking his companions internally. What he didn't expect when he turned to face his followers was to receive a slap to the face from Aela. He slowly turned his head to the side, trying his best to remain calm, not letting the temptation to exterminate this impudent mortal come too close to the forefront of his mind.

"Are you insane?" she asked angrily. Varion said nothing, still focusing his mind. "You idiot! How could you nearly die on us like that? You could've asked for help, or gotten one of us to help you, but no!" she continued. Varion rolled his eyes.

"You really think I'd die to some undead freak like that?" he replied, more confidence in his voice than he truly felt. Aela threw up her hands in frustration before walking off towards the giant chest next to the word wall. Varion took the time to listen, he could hear the faint chanting now, but he didn't feel the magical connection to the wall yet, he could still think clearly. "You'd better save some of that loot for me!" Varion called out as he shoved the mask into his bag. Aela's response was a single raised finger which made Varion scoff in amusement.

"My tha-" Lydia began and Varion turned his attention back to her, wondering as to why she stopped mid-word. "Varion" she said, more clearly. Varion raised an eyebrow, this must've been serious if she was using his name. What surprised him even more was her next action. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "Please, don't do that again" she whispered shakily. Varion was taken aback and awkwardly returned the embrace, but Lydia pulled away and walked off to join Aela. Varion was stunned and saw Faendal walk up to him last.

"What was that all about?" he asked. In all honesty, he wasn't really sure where all these strong reactions were coming from. Faendal rolled his eyes.

"You're a dragonborn, you're a companion, and you're oblivious, my friend" the elf stated simply. Varion rolled his eyes right back.

"Compared to a hug and a slap in the face, your retaliation was by far the lamest" he joked towards the elf. He clasped Varion on the shoulder.

"I'm just glad to see you are still alive. You can thank Aela and Lydia for killing the dragon, I did little" he said, hanging his head a bit low. Varion patted him on the back.

"Don't be stupid. You haven't come exploring with me for a while, so we haven't had a chance to get you some new gear. You really want to slay a dragon with that stuff?" Varion asked half mockingly, gesturing to Faendal's orcish bow and iron arrows. "Don't worry, we'll get you an upgrade when we get back home" Varion reassured. Faendal snorted, but nodded in thanks. Varion made his way over to the chest, only to see Aela storm away from him as soon as he got close. Varion sighed. Apologies and social interaction were really not something that he was used to. "_Give me a dragon priest to fight any day…" _he thought.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The journey back was filled with an uncomfortable silence. They'd split up the loot with Lydia and Faendal taking an assortment of gear, Aela taking the gold and Varion now carrying the annoyingly heavy dragon bones. He'd also looked at the word wall and three new words had resonated with him, not just one. He hadn't felt particularly strongly about any of them unlike _Fus_ or _Yol_, so he hadn't commanded his absorbed dragons soul to grant him understanding of them. Plus, he really wasn't in the mood, his followers attitudes were doing his head in.

The trek down the mountain was rather easy, with Faendal using his wood elf nature to command a frost troll to leave them alone and Aela taking out a sabre cat with a single arrow. She still wouldn't glance at Varion, and this was pissing him off. _It's not like we're married or anything, gimme a break, why is she so angry?_

"Alright Aela, enough with the silent treatment. Why are you so angry?" Varion asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone. Aela didn't so much as glance at him. Varion breathed deeply. Then he exploded. "AELA! ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!" he roared. That got her attention. She turned around, rage on her face too. She walked up to Varion and got right in his face, at least as much as she could considering his height.

"MAYBE BECAUSE MY IDIOT COMPANION DECIDED TO NEARLY GET HIMSELF KILLED!" she shouted. Varion refrained from rolling his eyes.

"I am the Dragonborn! A dragonslayer! A companion! I can handle myself!" he hissed, not liking her apparent lack of faith in his strength. Predictably though this did little to calm her down.

"OH YEAH? AND WHAT IF YOU COULDN'T? WHAT THEN? HOW CAN YOU BE SO SELFISH!?" she screamed. Varion had an angry reply on the tip of his tongue, but looked a little closer at Aela. Despite his bluntness, Varion had learned how to read people, at least when it came to things he needed to know, like if someone was hiding secrets.

"What happened?" he asked in a much softer tone, though still fairly stern. Aela was clearly taken aback by his calm.

"What?"

"Something happened. A companion died while travelling with you, didn't they?" Varion guessed. Aela looked at the ground.

"Shut up" she mumbled. Varion didn't stop.

"Told you they could handle themselves, got overwhelmed, and you watched them die, isn't that right? You saw me, and you saw them in my place..." he continued, making full use of his deductive skills.

"SHUT UP!" she cried, going to punch Varion. He caught her wrist and held it solidly, not letting go. He didn't move, Faendal and Lydia just watched the encounter awkwardly. Lydia just looked at the ground when Varion glanced at her, whereas Faendal just drew his bow and began walking around the area, patrolling for enemies.

"Aela" Varion said simply, gazing down at the redhead. She looked up at Varion and he could've sworn her right eye was shining slightly, though hardly enough to see past the anger in them. He released her wrist and she stepped back, practically shaking.

"I'm sorry" was all she said before she turned and started to walk away. Before she got more than a few steps, Varion placed a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at him and he gave her a nod. Her lips twitched in response and she placed her own hand on top of his for a moment. She then continued on her way and Varion signalled for Lydia and Faendal to follow.

It wasn't long before they made it back to Whiterun after this, though the mood was significantly lighter now. Faendal and Aela even had a short stop to have an archery contest. While Faendal was skilled, Aela was clearly better. When Varion got back to Whiterun, Aela handed him the 1,000 gold reward and Varion tossed a quarter of that to Faendal. The elf shook his hand firmly and promised to keep helping with Varions adventures if he needed. Lydia made some sarcastic comments about such a touching manly men goodbye, to which Varion just rolled his eyes, again.

Of course, the Companions were eagerly celebrating their victory when he returned. It had been the first time that the Companions had been hired to put down a dragon and they'd succeeded. To Varions surprise, Vilkas was one of the ones who cheered the loudest, even having a pleasant conversation with Varion about the dragons. Apparently Vilkas was a big history student, so of course he'd take an interest in this. Varion even gave him one of the dragon bones he'd brought back with him and he'd never seen Vilkas smile so happily, at least not at him. He was glad to be rid of the thing, dragon bones were freaking heavy. The celebrations carried on into the evening, but Varion was no party animal and so bid them goodnight before taking his leave. Before he could leave Jorrvaskr, he was stopped by Skjor who had a serious look in his eyes, one Varion easily returned.

"Something wrong?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Varion, I come to you with an important task regarding the Companions" Skjor replied, maintaining his business-like tone. Varion tilted his head, implying that he wanted an elaboration which Skjor soon provided. "We've been talking, you're quite the remarkable man. We think it's time that you became a member of the circle".

* * *

A/N:So, when I said I'd be waiting a while, I meant like, two days. What can I say, I've got a lot of free writing time during the holidays. Updates should be more frequent and apparently they're getting longer!

So, Varion kills another dragon and his first dragon priest, though he barely comes out of it alive. I think the dragon priest masks will be an interesting subplot to add in later to the story, let me know what you think! I'd also like your thoughts on the developing relationships between Varion and his companions, I think they're shaping pretty well!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to you guys reading the next chapter!

DRAGON LANGUAGE

Krosis - Sorrow (The dragon priest that Varion fought, plus the name of it's mask)


	16. Proving Honour 3 - Beast Blood

**Last time on the Legend of Varion…**

While killing a dragon and it's loyal servant, Varions near-death encounter causes Aela to snap at him, though the issue is somewhat resolved. Upon returning to Jorrvaskr, Skjor approaches Varion with an offer of joining the circle of the companions, all of whom hold the blood of the werewolf…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The underforge, where Skjor had led Varion that same night, was about as mysterious and strange as Varion had imagined when he was told about its existence. Lydia was at Breezehome, since Skjor insisted that only the circle can know about this location, so he and Varion entered alone. After ducking through the secret doorway, Varion found himself staring at a werewolf that was just casually standing on the opposite side of the room. He tensed, feeling a shout building in his throat, but held back, seeing Skjor casually walk around to the side of the creature. "I take it that's one of us?" Varion asked rhetorically. Skjor nodded.

"I had hoped you'd recognise Aela, even in this more, bestial form" Skjor explained. "She has agreed to be your forebear for this ritual" he continued, gesturing to the basin that was in the centre of the room.

"You're going to make me a werewolf" Varion said, unsure of his thoughts on the matter.

"To join the circle, you must receive the blessing" Skjor replied.

"Blessing? Kodlak phrased it quite differently" Varion said, recalling a conversation with the man from a while ago. They'd spoken about the silver hand and the werewolf nature of the circle and the old man had made it clear that he resented the blood. Kodlak wished for Sovngarde when he died, and at his age that was likely close at hand. However, he worried that Shor wouldn't welcome him into Sovngarde, that instead the daedric prince Hircine would claim his soul. Varion felt sympathy for the old man at this, he was a true nord through and through. Varions words seemed to annoy Skjor who now were a frown on his face.

"I respect the old man, but his stance on the matter is a foolish one" he answered. Varion tensed at this, Kodlak was an honourable man, and Varion honestly saw him as something of a father figure. True, many men of his age would find a statement like that something to mock, but Varion's father had died young and Kodlak reminded him a lot of the parent that he lost. He pushed the thought aside and continued listening to Skjors viewpoint. "He thinks we've been cursed, but we've been blessed. You've seen the power we are granted, how can this possibly be a curse?" he continued. Varion shifted his weight uncomfortably. While he hadn't exactly been filled with an urge to become one immediately, he had found the form fascinating. Farkas had torn through a group of warriors armed with weapons designed to kill werewolves, and he'd done it in seconds. That kind of power was tempting. He thought it over more, then nodded.

"I understand your view Skjor" he stated.

"So, will you do it Varion? Are you ready to join your spirit with the beast world?" Varion once again nodded.

"Yeah, I'll do it. I'll become a member of the circle" he stated firmly. Skjor nodded, regarding Varion with new interest. He held up Aela's arm and cut it with a dagger, causing her blood to flow into that central basin. It was black, definitely not something you'd want to be drinking, and yet Skjor offered Varion a goblet. It had a wolf emblazoned on it and it was comprised of silver, a fact Varion found slightly ironic. Breathing deeply, he filled the cup with the blood and saw wolf Aela and Skjor watch him with anticipation. He regarded them each, then drank. It was disgusting, and yet he found no desire to spit it out. He drained the goblet dry and slammed it down on one of the three benches around the underforge. For a few seconds, he felt nothing, heard nothing, and his vision was dark. Then he felt rage inside him like never before and his whole world exploded.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion would later find out that no explosions had actually occurred, but he woke up feeling like he'd went through one. Well, even that wasn't strictly true. When he'd awakened, lying in the snow, completely naked, his body felt amazing. He felt stronger, his eyes felt sharper, he could hear more, smell more, it was incredible, yet a bit overwhelming. It took a couple seconds for him to get ahold of himself before he saw someone standing there watching him. "Huh, I was wondering when you'd wake up" Aela said as she stood there watching Varion, holding a torch close to her face. Varion shook his head before glancing at her.

"Where the hell am I?" he asked, disorientated. He remembered little from his time as a werewolf, only knowing for sure that he was amazingly strong and he'd fled from the city. Everything else was a blur.

"You're in Eastmarch. You were one tough beast to control" she said, admiration in her tone once again. Varion assumed all the conflict from the day before had been forgiven or forgotten. "Only Farkas gave us as much trouble on his first turning. I have to say, I envy you Varion" she continued, not missing Varion tilting his head in curiosity. "The first time is always the most… intense" she finished, seemingly taking time to choose the right word. Varion stood up and stretched, his body aching slightly from the transformation hangover, as he was now going to refer to it as. He finished getting the stiffness out of his arms before he noticed Aela staring at him. He took a moment to think about why, then remembered that he was naked. He rolled his eyes and coughed, getting her attention.

"I don't suppose you have my gear with you?" he asked, politely ignoring her ogling him. Aela quickly returned her gaze up to his eyes, seeming slightly flustered. She nodded, grabbing a large sack and tossing it at Varion. He caught it with remarkable ease, he knew he was strong, but it seemed that he'd gotten even stronger now. He saw Aela begin to turn to give him some privacy and he did snicker at that. "You've already memorised every detail of me Aela, turning away won't be necessary" he snarked. He was aware that he was quite a sight to the eyes. He was massive, even for a nord. His muscles were about as large as one would expect them to be and his abs were very well defined. He was no stranger to woman staring him up, though he had never taken an interest in them in return. Sex was just something so uninteresting to him that many a man had called him a milk-drinker over it. His stature and/or fist had promptly shut them up. He finished putting his gear back on, including his newly repaired helmet, and met Aela's eyes who had regained her usual composure, save for the interest in her eyes that now seemed to be there whenever she saw him. What it meant, Varion had no damned idea.

"So, are you ready for what comes next?" Aela asked. Varion shrugged.

"Tell me what you're talking about and I'll answer" he replied bluntly.

"We found a fort nearby, a large silver hand garrison. Skjor, you and I, we're going to kill all of them" she said, excitement clear in her tone. Varion snickered.

"I'd be glad to spill their blood," he commented nonchalantly.

"That's good to hear. We've gone to all this trouble planning your celebration, I'd hate to see you pass it up" she jested. Varion rolled his eyes and followed her towards the fort. He lacked the blade of Whiterun, though Aela assured him it had been given to Lydia. He only had his dwarven sword and orcish shock blade, plus the dagger on his thigh, but he wasn't complaining.

"Where's Skjor?" he asked, noting the warriors absence.

"He went on ahead to scout out the fort. He should meet us inside. I hope he only leaves some alive for us" Aela replied confidently. Varion still felt a little unease in his stomach, Skjor was a skilled warrior, but this was an entire fort of werewolf hunters.

Since it was the middle of the night, only two silver hand stood guard outside the fort, half asleep judging by their posture. An arrow from Aela pierced through one of their heads, and Varion sent the second warriors head rolling with one slash. It had been a sneak attack, but he figured he could enjoy himself more in direct combat once they got inside. The door was open, but when they entered the fort, Varion was slightly overwhelmed by the stench of death and blood. Aela put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. "Easy there Shield-Brother, the beast blood enhances your senses. Takes a bit of getting used to" she explained. Varion looked around and his face twisted in disgust. A werewolf's head was impaled on a spike right in the centre of the room.

"Good grief, seems these guys aren't shy about their hatred" Varion said sarcastically. Aela grunted in reply as they made their way further into the dungeon. A few turns later, they spotted a group of three silver hand standing in front of a tiny room, one of them crouched over while the other two stood behind her. Varion flexed his shoulders and drew his swords. "HEY!" he shouted, getting their attention. The silver hand members spun around and glared at him, hatred seething from their every movement and expression. Varion smirked, he'd wanted some straight up combat. He and Aela charged forward with a war cry while the enemies drew weapons and prepared for the attack. The first one was easy, Varion simply cut her head off before she could even react. Aela avoided a heavy greatsword slash by dodging to the side, making her way into the room away from the hall, giving her more space to move while facing her opponent, a brutish Breton from the looks of him. That left Varion the task of the female who had been behind the other two. She carried a battle axe, but her armour was pathetic. Fur that left half of her body exposed, it would've been great if she was trying to seduce someone, terrible for a fight. She swung her axe with force, but Varion simply dropped his dwarven sword and reached out his hand, grabbing the battleaxe by the handle near the blade. To his minor surprise and the silver hands major shock, he'd stopped it cold. He let out an almost primal snarl and used his orcish blade to cut the handle in half, letting the blade part of the axe fall to the ground before his left fist connected with the woman's nose, sending her off her feet and onto her back. He threw the sword down and stabbed her through her face, her body twitching from the shocks running through her body before finally going still. Glancing to his right, he saw that Aela had easily defeated her adversary, but Varions thoughts were more on the dead beast in front of them. A werewolf had a wrist chained to the ceiling and the rest of it's body was hanging limply. It was clearly dead, but what disturbed Varion more was the amount of wounds on it's body. He glanced at Aela who shook her head.

"Not anyone we know. I can tell from the scent" she reassured, though Varion was still pissed off. These wounds were fresh, the bastards here were carving up this corpse for no reason. Maybe they found it more fun than a training dummy?

"These sick bastards…" Varion growled. He felt a new presence in his mind now. His dragon side was still there, as was the side that he'd labelled as mortal, but he now felt the growl of the wolf within him. It wasn't commanding him to transform or anything, but he could feel it's anger at seeing one of it's fellow beasts desecrated like this.

"We'll make them pay. Skjor can't be too far ahead" Aela said, though her voice could've sounded more sure. My bad feeling grew worse, but we pressed on, trying to not think too much about the dead werewolf parts littered over the fort.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varions dwarven blade was blood-soaked by the time they made it to, what Aela guessed at least, was the last hall before the central chamber. His orcish blade wasn't much better, despite Varions minor attempts at cleaning it. He knew basic weapon upkeep of keeping a shock blade clean in order to avoid the blood conducting the electricity and causing accidental pain. "We're close to the centre, I can sense it" Aela assured him again. "The leader of this branch of the silver hand is called Krev the Skinner. Need I explain the title?" she asked rhetorically. Varion rolled his eyes and gripped his orcish sword tighter.

"I'll skin him…" Varion muttered. Hardly his most witty comeback, but he was still riding on the high from his first transformation. His mind was slow to most things but battle at the moment. He walked closer to the door before Aela froze up. Varion looked back with concern.

"It's Skjor!" she hissed quietly. "I can smell him, he's in there!" she added. Varion nodded, then braced. His foot knocked the door open and caught the attention of every soldier in the place. It was a massive room, he couldn't fully make out the details at the very back of the room. That being said, his priority was the silver hand idiots in front of him. His first move was to throw his sword right into the chest of an unaware Khajiit, then he charged into the midst of the others. He saw an arrow pierce straight through one of their faces, so he knew Aela was making work. As he got into the room, he saw a heavily armoured warrior knelt over a body with a dagger in his hand.

"_That must be Krev"_ Varion thought absently, but gave it no further attention. He parried a sword slash from a Wood Elf and decapitated the man with ease before moving onto his next opponent, quickly dispatching them too. He had always been a skilled swordsman, but he'd improved so much since entering Skyrim again that these fools posed hardly any threat. He blocked a downwards slash before driving his free hand into the face of the attacker before twisting and kicking the Argonian that was charging up behind him, winding the poor fool. He drove his sword through the skull of the first silver hand, then tore it out and lept backwards so he was now side by side with the Argonian. Varion then proceeded to sweep downwards while the Argonian was still bent over, decapitating the idiot who challenged him. His thoughts were cut off when he noticed Krev charging at him. The brute of a man wore a full set of Orcish armour and carried a nasty looking dwarven battleaxe. Varion used Whirlwind sprint to shoot over to his other sword and retrieved it, feeling the electricity running up and down the blade. He faced off against Krev, trusting Aela to take care of the rest. Varion sidestepped Krev's downward thrust, then leapt backwards to avoid his sideways swipe. He had faith in his steel armour to protect against minor attacks, but this guy had serious power behind him. He thrust out with a kick and connected, but Krev barely budged. Varion threw up his swords to deflect the battleaxe's next pass, but at the last second just decided to dodge instead, not wanting to risk his strength failing him here. The handle of the sword was metal, cutting through it wasn't really an option. He absent-mindedly twirled his blades, then got an idea, letting a smirk come across his face. Krev swung his axe again, infuriated by Varions confidence, but this time Varion struck the handle with his orcish sword. As he'd hoped, the shock traveled up the length of the handle, and Krev had no gauntlets. His hands were blackened and he dropped the axe. Varion snarled in triumph and stabbed between Krev's legs, then stabbed into his right calf, leaving a wound deep enough to bleed. He then spun around and kicked Krev to the ground.

"Dog!" Krev shouted in anger, but Varion was having none of that. He stomped his foot down hard on Krev's face, then he stomped down on his chest.

"FUS!" It was only one word, but Krev was driven into the ground and Varion swore he heard something snap. He chuckled before stepping back to observe the fallen silver hand. He breathed deeply, reeling in his anger. Krev was a bastard, but Varion refused to take that much pleasure in this killing. He was supposed to be better than the silver hand after all. He prepared to finish Krev off, but then he heard a pained scream from the back of the room.

"NOOOOO!" Whipping around, he saw Aela clutching a body in her arms, shaking with fury and grief. With his sight, Varion could make out that her eyes were shining again, no, she was actually crying. It was at that point that he took a proper look at the body in her arms, the one that Krev had been kneeling beside. When he saw it, his stomach dropped. It was Skjor. He was dead. He was mutilated. His upper body had been stripped of armour and was filled with symbols and insults carved into his flesh. Varion remembered the knife that Krev had held when he first saw the silver hand kneeling over Skjor. The same knife was lying about two feet from Aela. Varion closed his eyes, and for 5 seconds, he seemed frozen. Varion did nothing. Aela's screams echoed through the hall. After those five seconds were up, Varion opened his eyes again. They were blazing with fire, and that flame intensified when he heard a singular sound. Krev was laughing. He was kneeling now, chuckling through his broken teeth and bleeding face. Varion abandoned any proper thought at that point, and he felt his wolf side and his dragon side roar in anger simultaneously.

"You…" Varion growled almost inhumanly. He walked over the the kneeling Krev who was struggling to stand up.

"You should've stayed away, rabid bitch" he spat, sounding about as broken as he looked. "No matter how many of us you kill, there will always be more. You can't destroy an idea, bastard. You wolves will be purged" he sneered, putting every ounce of loathing he had into his words. Varion simply grabbed his head and slammed it to the ground in one movement before holding it there.

"Shut your damn mouth! You're a fucking butcher, unworthy to even exist at the same time as me! You killed my friend! YOU MADE AELA CRY!" he shouted, rage consuming any other emotion in his voice. He released his head, then cast healing hands on Krev for a moment. When Krev glanced at him with a questioned look, Varion snarled. "Get up!" Krev returned his glare, then shakily got to his feet. Before he could even react, Varion punched him off of his feet with a single cross punch. He then walked over, picked him up by his throat and punched him again, causing him to go flying and crash against a wall before falling to his feet. He groaned and got to his knees, but Varion saw him charging a spell with whatever power he had left. Varion walked over and kicked him in the chin, sending him onto his back. He then stomped on his hand with all his strength, shattering it and causing the spell to fizzle out and die.

"YOU BITCH!" Krev screamed, but Varion barely heard him.

"You've really pissed me off now…" Varion muttered with fury. He grabbed Krev and slammed him into a wall again before punching him in the face, causing his head to be smacked into the wall. Thanks to Krev's unnatural durability, he was still alive, though clearly broken beyond repair. Varion didn't care. The rage was too much. He was far too angry to stop. Any thoughts he had about not allowing himself to enjoy this killing were thrown out the window. He wanted to enjoy this. He wanted to take every bit of anger he had out on this murderer. He delivered a powerful knee right to Krev's stomach and he coughed up blood. Varion caught him as he was about to fall before holding him at arm's length. Varion glared at him, but Krev spat at him.

"Dog…" he said bitterly. Varion saw red. He punched Krev hard, then punched him again with his other hand, and again with the first hand, and he descended into his attack rush. It was like what he'd used on Njada, but he wasn't holding back. He wanted this guy to die, painfully. He'd only used the attack rush with such lethal intent once before, and the pain of that memory only added to his rage. After a few seconds of non stop attacks, Varion drew breath.

"FUS RO DAH!" Krev flew backwards into the wall and was imbedded into it. Varion then tore Krev's armour from his chest. The fool was so badly beaten and his armour so damaged that it ripped like paper, even without Varions immense rage fueled strength. Varion drew back his fully armoured fist and with a visceral roar, punched his hand directly into Krev's chest. The face the silver hand made was of indescribable pain. Varion wasted little time, clasping his hand around his target and he pulled. He tore Krev's heart directly out of his chest and blood sprayed from the wound, dousing him in the red filth. Krev had slumped over, truly dead and destroyed, and Varion effortlessly crushed the heart in his hand, ignoring the blood that sprayed onto his helmet and that now ran down his hand. He was breathing heavily, almost like an animal as he shook his hand, letting the blood drip off his fingers onto the floor. He tore his helmet off and tossed it aside. He'd killed Krev, every silver hand in the fort was dead, and yet his anger still wasn't satisfied. He dropped to his knees and let a powerful scream of anger and pain towards the roof. He slammed his hand into the ground, leaving an impression of his fist in the stone. He breathed deeply, desperately trying to regain control. He turned back to Aela and saw her still sitting there, clutching Skjors body. Varion walked over to her, trying to contain his anger.

"He shouldn't have come alone" she muttered, more to herself than anything. "I should've been there…" she continued. Varion could tell that Aela was pretty out of it, perhaps in shock. He remembered her words from not even a day ago and he gritted his teeth in rage.

"Aela, look at me" he said simply, capturing her attention. She slowly glanced up at Varion, her face slowly signalling her return to reality. Varion could understand her pain though. He and Skjor weren't exactly close, but he knew the pain of not being able to protect someone. "What do you want me to do?" he asked simply, offering any assistance she needed. He wasn't a therapist, he couldn't eloquently string together words to comfort her, not when he was fueled by anger himself. His dragon side, his wolf side and whatever he called his normal side were all aligned in this case, with sorrow and a thirst for revenge. Her out-of-it expression slowly shifted into anger.

"Help me carry Skjor back to Whiterun" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "He needs a funeral," she added. Varion nodded, but hesitated when he wanted to walk over. Aela tilted her head in curiosity.

"I'm going to kill them all" he stated simply. Aela's eyes widened a little. His fury was evident in his voice, but it was too icy cold, unnaturally so. "I want your help. I want to put down every single fucker that dares call themselves the silver hand" Varion continued, shaking slightly. Aela got up and moved over to Varion.

"Varion, mass murder vengenace isn't your style. What's wrong?" she asked softly. Varion clenched his fist hard.

"They've earned this" he answered bluntly, but he could tell Aela wasn't satisfied.

"Varion, what happened?" she asked. In a better mood, Varion would've laughed at the irony of the situation. He was not in a better mood. His anger was now being replaced with anxiety and sadness. Thoughts of his parents flooded his mind, of the night they died. He was brought out of it when Aela laid her hand on his shoulder.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"You may think you're impossible to read Varion, and a lot of the time, you are. But this, I can see past the tough guy act." Aela said, though not unkindly. Varion clenched his fist even harder, and the blood still dripped from it. He was feeling guilty over the fact that his sadness wasn't fully for Skjor, he mourned the warrior, but he'd suffered a far greater loss that now haunted him again. "You lost someone in your past, long ago. Someone close, and you watched them die. You see them now, isn't that right?" she said, coming dangerously close to repeating the same words he'd said in the past. Perhaps that's why she was being so comforting, maybe that's why she was so insightful. Either way, he was rather glad she was doing his talking for him.

"I…" He trailed off. He hated talking about his past, he'd kept it a secret for most of his life from everyone. He hated how weak it made him sound, how weak it made him feel. However, Aela seemed to get the implied message that he didn't want to talk about it, and simply embraced him, burying her face in his chest. Varion tensed up, but slowly relaxed, returning the hug as he breathed deeply to fight off the memories. He knew Aela's tears were still flowing, she was far closer to Skjor than he was. He suspected some romantic relationship, but this was hardly the time to ask. So he just held her, taking comfort in her company. They must've remained that way for at least a minute before Aela stopped shaking and Varion managed to calm down properly. They split apart and looked at Skjor.

"We'll take him back to Jorrvaskr. Anything else after that can wait" Aela confirmed. "But to answer your question, yes Varion. I want to join you on your quest" she added, her voice gaining a familiar edge. Varion solemnly nodded, then moved to grab Skjor and slung him over his shoulders. He walked slowly, trying to be as gentle as possible with Skjors body, a vast contrast to the anger that filled his heart.

**X-X-X-X-X**

It was a solemn mood at Jorrvaskr. When Varion returned with Skjors body and Aela, there was fury. Even Njada seemed saddened by Skjors death, but the anger soon turned to sadness. The funeral was held shortly afterwards, a quiet event attended by only the companions. Varion explained what had happened to Kodlak, including the fact that he now possessed the beast blood. Kodlak just seemed even more tired and sad, but he expressed no disappointment in Varion. He thanked Varion for avenging Skjors death, and wished him well in coping with this loss, but the old man was clearly worn down and heavy with loss. Farkas and Vilkas were taking their anger into their training, engaging in brutal sparring matches that only ended when they physically couldn't continue, and even then they'd continue within hours. The whelps mostly sat around drowning their sorrows, Ria looking close to tears half the time. It made sense, one of her heroes was dead. As for Aela, she was either in her room or out hunting, there was no in-between. Varion had seen her a handful of times, but it was clear she was hurting badly and mourning in her own way. News had spread throughout Whiterun and even Jarl Balgruuf himself offered his sympathies for the loss. All this did little to stifle Varions fire. He trained, he worked, he killed. Lydia was concerned for him and his mental state, hugging him when he first told her, but nowadays but she could do little. A hand on his shoulder before she went to sleep and the offer to talk about it if need be was often the most she offered, and yet he was grateful for it nonetheless. It soothed his blazing fury enough for him to keep going without exploding, but he was still ready to snap. The citizens of Whiterun who considered him friends noticed this. He was generally hard to read, but now the rage was emanating from his being. It was probably why he instinctively knew when Aela finally came and knocked on his door one morning. She stood ready, fresh warpaint on her face, a fully stocked quiver and a pained resolve in her eyes. "Is it time Aela?" Varion asked. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it nonetheless.

"Our vengeance is at hand" Aela said with determination in her voice, and Varion wasted no time grabbing the Blade of Whiterun from its place on his weapons rack.

"_This blade will taste silver hand blood long into the future"_ he thought grimly, though he couldn't deny part of him lit up in excitement for the slaughter to come. He pushed this back down, willing himself to deal with it another time. His grip on his blade tightened. At least the sword was one thing he could understand.

* * *

A/N:Woah, can somebody say dark and gloomy? Because boy, the ending was depressing. I guessed I needed to expand upon the aftermath of Skjors death because it's a way bigger deal than it is made out to be in the game. I mean, he was practically the next harbinger for gods sake. So yeah, everyone's sad and Varion is very very angry. More hints at his past, I'd love to know your theories on what has happened to him before Skyrim!

So, we see Varion's rage at full force, like, far greater than what even Mikael saw that night in Fighting Spirit back in Arc 2. That was fun to write. For narrative purposes he can't go all God of War 3 Kratos/Metal Gear Rising Jack the Ripper like that all the time, but damn that was fun to play around with a merciless Varion! Especially as he's a werewolf now, so he's got dragon instinct, wolf instinct and his own damaged mental state to contend with! The violence is sure to keep going for a while…

I'd like to warn that updates may be sporadic. Yes, I've pushed out a few 4k+ word chapters in under a week, but that might not happen again for a while. Who knows, we'll see what happens aye?

Let me know how you'd like the story to continue on! I'm specifically asking for requests on what kind of missions you'd like Varion to undertake alongside Aela to take vengeance on the silver hand. Fort raids, Wuuthrad shard retrieval, whatever you want, just let me know!

Thanks a lot for reading, and I'll see you all in the next chapter, and the next arc!


	17. Blood and Soul 1 - Silver War

**Last time on Varion Murders a Bunch of Guys...**

After becoming a werewolf, Varion raided Gallows rock with Aela, a silver hand fort. They carved their way through everyone, but discovered that Skjor had already fallen. After destroying the silver hand leader in brutal fashion and returning Skjors body to Jorrvaskr for the funeral, Aela and Varion prepare for their vengeance against the bastards who took their friend…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

Faldar's Tooth wasn't exactly the most impressive fort Varion had ever seen, but it was fortified enough. The silver hand must've been expecting company because they had at least 5 archers lining the walls and Varion hadn't come away unscathed. "If you die on me, I'll beat the shit out of you in whatever afterlife we end up in" Aela threatened as Varion healed his injury using his limited magic knowledge.

"Gimme a break, it's a light wound. This armour's ready to be replaced anyways" he answered back. He'd attempted to block an arrow aimed at his face with his gauntlet, but it had pierced through and lodged itself in his forearm. He wasn't badly hurt, but it was enough to be a nuisance, one that had to be healed before they carried onwards. He couldn't tell why, but he felt drawn to something in this fort, or specifically, his wolf side did. He knew that his dragonborn nature was what made him drawn towards word walls and why he heard the chanting, but this time the wolf blood within him was pushing him to find something in the fort. Upon discussing this with Aela, she revealed that she felt it too, but apparently stronger than Varion did. Luckily, this did little to dull their combat instinct. Any silver hand that attacked them was killed within seconds. However, Varion had changed his fighting style a little bit. He made sure to kill them almost instantly, decapitating some, cutting overs in half, stabbing a couple through the face, a nice variety. He wanted to make sure that he didn't leave them alive for more than a few moments, otherwise his anger might get the best of him. Despite the fact that he'd enjoyed it, he regretted what he'd done to Krev. The man deserved to die, but Varion had near-enough tortured the man, plus the finisher was brutal. Tearing a man's heart out and crushing it in front of his face was a new method of killing, but what made Varion most nervous is how much he'd enjoyed it. He liked fighting, he didn't hate killing bandits and the like, but to take that much pleasure out of such brutality, it was borderline sadistic. While his head was lost in these thoughts during battle, he made the occasional mistake. One example would be when he was facing off against an impressively built nord like himself and he swung his sword too early. The steel shield of his opponent easily deflected the blow before slamming into Varions chest. He'd been winded and knocked over, not a great combo in a fight. Thankfully, Aela had impaled the man from behind, though she did let him fall on top of Varion. It was less uncomfortable than her slapping him in the face, so he didn't complain. Despite the occasional mishap, Varion and Aela made short work of the fort. Any plea for mercy was ignored, as far as the companions were concerned, they'd forfeited that privilege when they not only killed Skjor, but mutilated his body. Not a single companion except Varion had dry eyes when that funeral took place, and his eyes were only dry because the fires of rage evaporated all his tears, or something metaphorical like that. At least, that's what he'd tell anyone who asked. In truth, he just wasn't really a very "crying" person.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"This is almost too easy" Aela complained as she ducked under the swing of a warhammer. Varion grunted as he caught an orcs punch that was aimed at his face.

"These guys are cowards. They fight beasts, not trained warriors" he reasoned before snapping the orcs wrist with one hand. He then drove his orcish blade through the orcs stomach, and his victims body twitched until the enchantment ceased it's damage. After that, he was still. Aela thrust her dagger into her enemies shoulder. The Argonian growled in pain before swinging his lumbering weapon downwards. Aela nimbly sidestepped the attack before driving her dagger into his thigh, eliciting another groan from her foe. This kept up for three more attacks, dodge, inflict small wound, prepare to dodge again. Varion watched her as she worked. It was clear that their fighting styles were very different, she was more quick and agile whereas he was far stronger, but neither combatant was less effective than the other. Eventually, when the Argonian moved to take a step, his legs buckled and he fell to the ground, unable to stand. Aela thrust her dagger into the back of his head, killing him instantly and wiped the blood from her Skyforge Steel dagger.

"That appeared to be their leader. Could we have finished already?" she wondered. Varion shrugged.

"I don't hear anyone screaming for reinforcements, I think we're done. Though truth be told, I can't hear much now," he admitted. He still had his normal hearing, but his wolf senses were all still focused on one thing, and that thing was apparently in the large chest that all forts and tombs seemed to have at the end of them. He walked over, grabbing what he hoped was the key from the table closest to it. He unlocked the chest, proving his hunch right and opened it up, regarding the gold and jewels they collected, but disregarding the armour. He'd get his custom made to fit him, he was bigger than the average warrior in Skyrim. After rummaging through, Varion eventually found the source of the weird energy that his wolf senses were focusing on. He didn't find the wooden thing that he pulled out of the chest particularly impressive, but it resonated strangely with him. Aela clearly found it far more interesting and she had no hesitation taking it out of Varions hand when he offered it to her.

"A totem of Hircine" Aela said, holding the object in her hands with great care, reverence in her tone.

"A what?" Varion asked bluntly. He wasn't above admitting that he had no idea what she was on about.

"I'd only heard stories, but these totems are relics created by Lord Hircine" Aela explained. "They're supposed to make the werewolf form even stronger, but to think we'd find one here…" she trailed off, but Varion snarled in anger.

"This is what you could sense in the fort, isn't it?" he asked. When Aela nodded, her face showed that she didn't fully understand where he was going with this. "They had this here as bait. Any wolf would come charging in, looking for this thing, and then they'd capture it. That's why there's so many damn traps" Varion explained further, glancing back at the booby trapped hallway. Aela frowned.

"This means that there might be more totems in other forts. We owe it to the companions and the other werewolves to take all of them back" she said with determination. They got up to leave before Varions ears picked up a faint sound. Harsh breathing, pained breathing, coming from one person. He glanced at Aela and she could hear it too.

"_That totems stopped giving off that annoying 'come and get me' vibe. I can hear much better now"_ Varion noted as he focused on the origin of the sound. He moved towards it, holding his sword in his hand ready. They entered into a room that had no silver hand, confirming their theory that they were all dead, but it did contain cages. The dead bodies made Varions stomach feel weird and his fists clench around his sword hilts even harder, but he then saw a body moving. His hearing revealed it was the source of the breathing he'd heard and he moved closer. The second the living thing saw him, it flinched away towards the back of the cage, covering its head with its hands. The wounds on its body explained all Varion needed to know. He growled in disgust. "This is just a kid, like 13 or 14" he muttered, keeping his hands clenched hard. The fact that the silver hands cruelty extended even to children..

"The silver hand are merciless. If you even have a chance of being a werewolf, they'll put you down" Aela noted, her voice indicating she was as angry as Varion.

"Bastards! They were going to tear this kid apart just like they did those other wolves!" Varion growled. He walked over to the lock and used his sword to destroy it before opening the gate. The kid was still sitting on the ground, shaking and trying to curl up into a ball away from Varion. "You're alright now kid. I'm a wolf like you, you can smell it, right?" Varion asked, thinking that this would be proof that he wasn't a silver hand. The boy lifted his head slightly, gazing at Varion. He sniffed twice and then his expression changed from pure fear into like, 10% curiosity and 90% fear. "_An improved ratio, no matter how slight"_ Varion thought to himself.

"What are you doing here?" the boy asked, voice quiet and afraid. Varion took off his helmet and set it down beside him. The thing still had blood stains on it from Krev and it wasn't too far from falling apart thanks to its constant punishment. Varion noted to himself that he really needed an upgraded armour set soon, but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind for now.

"I'm here looking for bad guys" Varion said, divulging not much at all, but enough to hopefully reassure the boy. "What's your name?" he asked.

"I'm Jortolf" the boy replied. "I've been here for about a week. I thought they were going to kill me, but they wanted to know where my pack was first" he explained timidly. Varion tried to remain calm.

"What did they do to get this information?"

"Mostly just beatings, being whipped, no blades though. They healed me before each new interrogation so they could hurt me more" Jortolf answered, though he'd begun shaking again. Varion pulled a healing potion from his bag and gave it to him.

"Drink up. This'll get you on your feet for now. Are there any others?" Varion asked.

"No, just me. That's why they were so hard on me, I was their only lead" he answered before swigging the healing potion down with earnest.

"What's your pack like?" Aela asked curiously.

"We live in the woods around Dawnstar, make our lives camping there" Jortolf answered, slowly trying to get to his feet. Varion reached out a hand to steady him, gently helping the boy. "We mainly just hunt wildlife, though a few bandits tend to go missing here and there," the boy said ominously. Varion shrugged, it was hardly like he and Aela were the type to care about the lives of thugs like them. "Occasionally the pack brings down a giant that the Jarl wanted dead, the gold from that helps us get clothes and food" he continued.

"So your pack is benevolent then" Aela said/asked. It was more of a statement than a question. Jortolf nodded.

"We try to be. Murdering people would just bring the guards on us, we try and live quietly" By now he was standing up without Varions help, though he still looked weak. Varion could only guess the wolf blood was what kept him going.

"And yet those bastards attacked you guys anyway" Varion muttered.

"It doesn't matter to the silver hand what kind of werewolf you are" Aela explained solemnly. "As much as I hate to admit it, some wolves can't handle the blood and go feral, a danger to themselves and everyone. We've had to put those kinds down in the past" she added, her tone clearly indicating she hadn't enjoyed that activity. "The silver hand, from what we've heard, were originally founded around hunting down these beasts" she finished. Varion hated himself for the thought, but he found himself somewhat supporting that idea.

"But now they're just butchers that hunt down anyone who might have the blood of the beast" Varion said, finishing her explanation for her. Jortolf grunted in agreement.

"They attacked us three times. I was taken because I was too slow in our retreat. I just thought that maybe if I could kill one or two more, they'd stop..." His tone was mournful and he clearly was kicking himself for his mistake.

"Let's get you out of here" Varion said, ending the conversation before the kid could go off on a tangent of why it was all his fault. The walk out of the fort was an easy one. All the silver hand had already been killed and Varions only task besides walking was occasionally steadying Jortolf while he stumbled forward. Aela had her bow drawn and was walking in front of them, sniffing the air and listening intently for any potential enemy they could have missed, as unlikely as the idea was. Before long, they made it outside. Jortolf collapsed to his knees and Varion instinctively moved to catch him, but Aela placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. The boy breathed deeply and Varion noticed his eyes were shining.

"The fresh air, the sun, the wild…" Jortolf muttered in awe. I didn't think I'd see it again. Thank you so mu-" he started, but Aela simply took her hand off Varions shoulder and placed it on his.

"You'll be ok kid. Go back to your pack" Aela said, her tone kinder than Varion would've expected from her. Jortolf nodded, smiling for the first time since they'd found him. He transformed into his wolf form, howling in delight to the sky. He leapt off the fort and ran off into the woods at blinding speed while the two companions watched him go. Jortolfs energy was far greater in the wolf form and it was quite an admirable sight, seeing the force behind his movements as he ran, even for one so young.

"It's nice to take down the silver hand by doing something other than murder" Varion said absent-mindedly. Aela looked over at him and regarded him curiously, then just smiled and continued watching the young wolf escape back to freedom.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Despite the hefty amount of blood that had been spilled at their hands already, Varion and Aela weren't nearly done. They wiped out three different silver hand encampments within a week, one of which was taken care of in werewolf form. Varion had found it quite the experience. His senses were so heightened, his strength so great, his speed unmatched, but his mind was so violent. His instincts to hunt and kill were heightened to great levels, not so much that he'd kill his friends or not recognise them, but enough so that he made Krev's death look clean. By the time they'd finished clearing out Redoran's Retreat, a small silver hand mine, the whole place was littered with body parts from the unfortunate residents and the smell of blood was nearly overpowering to Varions wolf nose. Aela said that he'd get better at taming those instincts the more he used the form, but Varion was in no hurry. Their missions were fairly basic, find a camp, destroy it, head back before anyone got suspicious, though they did end up freeing another non-feral werewolf which helped Varions conscience, knowing they were helping people instead of just butchering everything. Of course, they did find some feral werewolves and they had to be killed for the safety of everyone including themselves, and they were quite the tough foes. One of them had slashed open Varions chestplate which had been a pain at the time, but it had encouraged him to finally get around to getting new gear, which he did. He walked back into Whiterun, a set of Orcish armour now adorning his shoulders, hands and feet, though he lacked a new helmet. The orcish one just didn't appeal to him, so he just had Adrianne forge him a regular steel helmet in the style of his old one. She and Varion were quite close now and he frequently visited her almost more than Eorlund. What could he say, she was more pleasant than the gruff Grey-Mane. Upon returning to Jorrvaskr after his latest job, slaughtering a silver hand group that had been patrolling around the Dawnstar forests, he found Farkas waiting for him. "Varion, a word" he said, calling him over.

"What's up?" he asked, curious as to his intent. Farkas regarded him with an expression that Varion couldn't quite name, even with his reading skills.

"Kodlak wants a word with you. Asked me to find you as soon as possible" Farkas said gruffly. Varion frowned internally, could the old man have found out? He shrugged.

"He in his usual place?" he asked and Farkas nodded. Varion sighed and Farkas patted him on the shoulder before moving off. He looked around the hall and saw Aela. She had the look of a child who'd just been scolded for bad behaviour. "_Yeah, Kodlak found out"_ he thought and his heart sank. The old man was sure to be either pissed or disappointed, Varion couldn't decide which one. He found Kodlak sitting in the chair and he looked up when Varion approached.

"Ah, Varion, my thanks for coming" Kodlak greeted.

"Harbinger" Varion said, bowing his head slightly. Kodlak gestured to a seat, the seat that Vilkas had sat in when Varion first came to the hall, and Varion took the cue to sit down. Kodlak took a deep breath.

"So, I hear that you and Aela have been keeping yourselves busy as of late," he said, not accusatory but in the tone of someone who knew. Varion grimaced. "I am not angry Varion. I only wish for further details" he continued.

"Aela and I have been taking vengeance on the silver hand for the death of Skjor" Varion admitted. Kodlak nodded, even though he already knew.

"Would you say your vengeance has been honourable?" he asked. Varion hated this, the old man's tone was so peaceful, so kind, yet carried so much weight. He really hadn't encountered a man like this since his father.

"No, Harbinger. It hasn't been, at least not for all the time. We've done some good, freeing a few innocent werewolves and stuff like that, but…" he trailed off, and Kodlak placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Something troubles you deeply Varion. Something beyond the other members of the circle. Am I correct?" he asked, once again in that 'I already know' tone.

"Yes, Harbinger. But that can wait" Varion started, but Kodlak cut him off.

"I have already discussed with Aela the consequences of your actions. You owe me no apology, nor an apology to anyone else, but we must be careful" he warned. "The trail of blood left in your wake traces back to Jorrvaskr. I fear retaliation is at hand" he added solemnly. Varion nodded, ashamed.

"I'm sorry Harbinger" Apologising so sincerely wasn't something he did often, but Kodlak held up a hand to silence him.

"As I said, you owe no apology. Just please, do not act on your own next time. Come to the circle and allow our assistance. More minds can come up with a more extensive plan" he requested, and Varion nodded again. "Now, I wish to ask you something in particular about these events," he said, and Varion raised his eyebrows at this.

"I can understand the reaction of Aela, she and Skjor were rather close, and the beast blood flowing through her veins combined with her innate fire only makes this the natural action. But as for you, I am more interested" he said, somewhat mysteriously. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Why did you assist in this Varion? I didn't assume mass murder vengeance to be your way?" he asked, once again, not accusatory. Varion thought for a moment, careful of how much to give away.

"I wanted to help Aela, she's a good friend to me" he stated carefully.

"Aye, I don't doubt that. However, I sense there is more to this" Kodlak answered back and Varions shoulders sagged.

"Kodlak, none of this leaves this room. Alright?" Varion requested, momentarily dropping the respectful tone he'd adopted. He admired Kodlak, but this was still a hard task for him, opening up.

"Of course lad, I give you my word" Kodlak replied and Varion took a deep breath.

"Harbinger, you know about my dragon blood" he stated at first. Kodlak nodded in response. "Now I also carry the blood of the wolf" Once again, a nod was his only response. "I've been struggling a lot lately with my mind. My nature" he said, leaving it pretty vague and mysterious. "When I was 13, I watched my parents die. I got my revenge for it, I think, but it did little to help my grief. I've avoided getting close to people since then, not wanting to suffer a loss like that. When Skjor died, I just saw them, my failure, and I felt that same lust for vengeance..." Kodlak regarded him with interest and a sympathetic look and Varion was encouraged to continue. "That revisiting, mixed with my inner turmoil. Do you have that thing were the wolf side of you is like it's own little consciousness? Do you ever get the sudden urge to hunt and kill?" he asked, his voice losing its stoicness and becoming angrier. Kodlak nodded again.

"It has faded with age, but I still feel the wolf within me. When I was a young man, it was far more common" he explained. Varion sighed before continuing.

"I have that, but also a similar thing with my dragonborn nature. I'll be in a fight and then I'll just feel so… sadistic. Like I want to not just defeat my enemy, but to break them completely. It's frightening, I feel like I'm losing control" he continued. "When Skjor died, and Krev was in front of me, all of that just took over. I didn't just kill him, I destroyed him. I crushed his heart in front of his face. I enjoyed it. I hate that" Varion lamented, his voice growing angrier. "I wasn't satisfied. I don't know if Aela told you this, but I'm the one that first suggested this revenge thing. I wanted their blood, I still do, but I don't and I have no idea what to think!" he growled, grabbing a random tankard on the table and crushing it in his hands. "I keep blaming these thoughts as just being because of my nature, something that only exists because I'm dragonborn, but what if I am some sort of power-crazy vicious lunatic?" he asked softly, drained at his little rant. Kodlak was silent for a while, then turned to Varion.

"You focus on your increased combat aggressiveness. Have you taken time to think of the benefits your 'natures' as you call them, provide you?" he asked. Varion looked at him curiously.

"_What benefits? Increased combat prowess aside, is there an upside? I mean, being some sort of prophesied hero? Does that count? No, he wants something more personal. I guess I've been more protective. My rampage shows that enough" _Varion kept thinking, racking his brains. After a few moments, Kodlak continued.

"You are new to the wolf blood. I take it you've transformed only a couple of times. While I may detest the form, I am very familiar with how to control it" he said, causing Varion to raise his eyebrow in interest. "I'm not the most eloquent man. The priests at the temple could deliver this far easier than I, so I will say it simply" Kodlak admitted.

"Go on. I'm not opposed to simplicity" Varion reassured, eager to hear Kodlak's answer.

"When you fight against your nature, you only cause more damage to your mind. I should know. Having two natures in your mind is bad enough, yet here you are with three. You must overcome this conflict, or you will destroy yourself" Kodlak warned, but this was nothing Varion didn't already know. "As I said, fighting against the wolf availed me nothing. Instead, I sought to understand the beast blood. I became one with this other nature, until only I, Kodlak remained. The wolf changed me, but I am still me" he explained, and Varion took his words in with great interest. "You must accept this side of you, and work to become one with it. In the end, there will only be your true self, your real nature" Kodlak finished. Varion was in awe of the man's insight, but still had a doubt.

"What if that nature isn't very nice?" he asked ominously, aware that his power was a threat if he lost it, if his true self ended up being a monster. Kodlak surprisingly, just smiled and shook his head.

"I can't say for sure Varion, but I've been told I have a good sense for people," he said. "The man I see in front of me now, the man I saw in the hall of Jorrvaskr, he is hardly a monster. He is flawed, yes, perhaps a little too aggressive for his own good, but at his core, he is a good man". Those simple words made Varion feel almost as much emotion as Skjors death. Well, these emotions were more of the 'oh my god that made me feel so good' than the 'I'm going to coat the world in your blood' kind, but still, the quantity was there.

"I… Thank you Kodlak" Varion said simply, unable to form a more eloquent sentence. The old man gave Varion a smile not unlike a parent would, and for a moment, Varion saw his father's face reflected in Kodlaks. It was a momentary thing and Varion put it down to a hallucination, or perhaps his unusually emotional state, but he accepted it and moved on.

"Of course my boy. Now, if I may, I'd like to discuss the true reason I called you down here" At this, Varion raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't brought down here to get told off?" Kodlak chuckled.

"No, I have a more personal favour to ask of you. You know of my concerns with the beast blood and Sovngarde, yes?" It was a rhetorical question, but Varion gave a nod regardless. "Well, I think I have found a cure".

* * *

A/N:BOOYAH! NEW CHAPTER BBY OH YES

I swear that opening line gets weirder every time. Anyways, onto the authors note stuff. Special shoutout to Fenrir070, they helped inspire a major element in this chapter and they are the main reason I wrote it up so fast. Remember, your suggestions help shape this story.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, I delved deeper and deeper into Varions psyche because, not gonna lie, I really enjoy doing that and writing about his struggles. It'll be a running theme throughout the story, but it's relevance will spike in places like it has now. Let me know what you think of it, I'm super keen to hear your thoughts.

I've finally figured out an upload schedule. I'll try updating weekly unless I burn out and need to rest, in which case I'll announce it in a temporary chapter, but I've slowed myself down. I'll have, at a minimum, a 3 day break between each chapter, and a week long break at most, in the best case scenario. This'll give you guys more time to read and digest between each chapter and it'll help me avoid burnout. I'll still be writing the chapters, but they'll go up slower, you get me?

Thanks for watching and I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	18. Blood and Soul 2 - Loss

**Previously on What is Quickly Becoming the Mental Breakdown of Varion…**

After laying waste to even more silver hand, Varion is summoned to Kodlak's chambers. After some discussion about Varions issues and the vengeance he and Aela have been seeking, Kodlak reveals that he may have found a way to cure his beast blood…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"A cure?" Varion asked, repeating the old man's words.

"That's right. I think I've found it after so many years. But first, I need to explain something, the tale of how the companions first became werewolves" Kodlak said, implying that he wanted Varion to listen. At the dragonborns nod, Kodlak continued. ""The Companions are nearly five thousand years old. This matter of beast blood has only troubled us for a few hundred. One of my predecessors was a good, but short-sighted man. He made a bargain with the witches of Glenmoril Coven. If the Companions would hunt in the name of their lord, Hircine, we would be granted great power" he explained. Varion tilted his head.

"I've felt the strength of the beast, they didn't lie about the power" he spoke up. Kodlak nodded, but his face was solemn.

"That is true indeed, but it's more than just our bodies. This curse seeps into our soul" he replied, wistfully gazing into nothing. "When a werewolf dies, their soul is claimed by Hircine, taken to his hunting grounds, where an endless hunt awaits them. For some, such as Skjor and Aela, this is a paradise. But I am a true nord, and I wish for Sovngarde to be my afterlife" Kodlak continued. Varion nodded, he'd heard of the old man's desire before. "I believe that the harbinger who first made this bargain made it thinking that it was temporary, but he was fooled. Ever since him, every companion has remained a beast since their initiation into the circle right until the day they die, and even further beyond. They never reached Sovngarde..." Kodlak finished somberly.

"And now you've found a way to reach it" he guessed.

"I think so lad" Kodlak confirmed. "The vile witches that cursed us to become these beasts, they are the key to undoing centuries of impurity. I want to you to travel there alone Varion, and slay them all. Not only that, you must bring their heads, the source of their power" he commanded and Varion flexed his shoulders.

"Killing evil witches in some long forgotten cave in Skyrim's wild? Now this is a mission I can get behind" he said with a small grin, standing up and cracking his knuckles.

"Thank you Varion, I thought you would understand. Talos guide you" Kodlak answered as a farewell. Varion bowed slightly in respect, then turned and walked out of the hall. He had a goal now and for the first time in a while, he wasn't conflicted about what he was about to do. His wolf side, dragon side and whatever he called his normal were all aligned towards one goal, helping Kodlak.

**X-X-X-X-X**

As Varion travelled, he reflected upon Kodlak's viewpoint and words. The beast blood, was it really a curse? The nature in which it had been received would certainly suggest so. Varion thought back on his actions during his war with the Silver Hand alongside Aela. He'd only used the wolf form once, and while it had been exhilarating, he hadn't exactly felt great afterwards. He felt too much like an animal and not a warrior, though Kodlak and Aela seemed to imply he'd get used to it in time, assuming he kept using the form. Varion shook his head. He'd have time to debate with himself later once his task was done. He'd travelled outside of Whiterun's borders again, this time into Falkreath. He'd been tempted to stop at the capital city, seeing as he'd been in Skyrim for over a month now and he'd only seen Whiterun, Riverwood, Ivarstead and Kynesgrove, the latter three not exactly being amazing locations. However, Kodlak's desire for Sovngarde encouraged Varion to ignore the thoughts of exploring and distraction out of his mind and he remained focused, trekking across the land until he reached his destination, Glenmoril Covern. The cave reeked of death and in that moment, Varion cursed his enhanced senses, particularly his ability to smell. He crept forward in the cave, on the lookout for these 'witches' as Kodlak had called them. Seeing as they were apparently the ones that cursed the companions about 300 or so years ago, Varion highly doubted they were regular humans, no-one lived for that long. Maybe elves? "_Heh, that would get the nords all riled up"_ he joked internally. His question was answered when he snuck around another corner and saw the first witch. It was a hagraven, a hideous monstrosity that looked like a fusion of woman and bird. Varion felt his stomach churn, and his blood boil. The witch appeared to be meditating or something seeing as she was just sitting in front of a fire with her back to him. Varion snuck forward, cursing his heavy armour for being so loud, yet his presence remained unknown somehow. At least, it would have before he swung his greatsword and decapitated the witch in one swing. Chuckling at his success, Varion then heard angered screeching and the sound of running. "Damn it!" he cursed to himself. The witches somehow all felt the death of one of their members, so now the rest were coming to kill him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the witch's head off the ground, holding it by the hair. As the other five witches rounded the corner, Varion grinned with excitement for battle.

"How dare you companion!" the head witch shrieked.

"_Well, she's ugly. She's also the biggest, nastiest and probably the most powerful"_ he thought to himself, though he let none of this show on his face. Varion flexed his shoulders. "I'm breaking this curse. I'm gonna need your heads. It's partially personal" he said far too casually for the situation.

"Ha! You may try, but Lord Hircine will claim your soul no matter what you do!" she retorted before commanding the other hagravens to attack. Varion growled.

"FUS RO DAH!" At his shout, all the witches flew into the cave wall. He heard one particularly loud crunch and saw one of the hagravens fall to the ground, completely limp. "_Two down, three to go,"_ he thought, celebrating his success, yet he gripped his sword tight and prepared for his battle. Thanks to his swords fire enchantment, he was able to slice through their fireballs they shot his way, but the three witches kept firing at him, making sure he didn't have a chance to get close. He jumped, rolled, sidestepped, blocked and dodged for at least a full 30 seconds and he only managed to get about 5 metres closer to the witches.

"This is a waste of my time!" he growled to himself, desperately trying to think of a strategy. He then had a flicker of memory, back to Ustengrav. He'd found a word wall then, learned the word 'Feim', but he'd forgotten about it until now. As he parried away another spell, Varion decided that, whatever this word may be or do, it was worth a shot. He focused on Feim and felt his absorbed dragon soul burn up as he gained understanding of the word. "Fade" he whispered to himself. He saw a fireball heading directly towards him and the witch cackled in triumph.

"You can mutter to yourself all you want in death!" she hissed and Varion glared.

"FEIM!" As he shouted, he felt strange, almost weightless. The fireball hit his body, then proceeded to pass straight through him and hit the wall. Glancing down at his hands, Varion noticed that he was transparent. Even his armour and weapons were affected by the shout. "Huh. That's useful!" he smirked before racing back at the witches. Being ethereal like this was a strange feeling, when he ran he didn't feel like he was exerting himself at all. Within seconds, he was next to the now panicking witches. "Laugh now bitch!" he roared and swung the Blade of Whiterun at full force at the leader. He noted that the second he did, he became tangible once again, but given his intent to attack, that wasn't a bad thing. The hagravens dying squawk was silenced as her head went flying. Thanks to their leader dying, the other two hagravens were in a panic, meaning Varion had an easy task with killing them. He used Whirlwind sprint to close the gap between him and them fast, but using two shouts in quick succession caused him a bit of lightheadedness.

"You'll never escape Lord Hirc-" the witch cried before being interrupted. Turns out having your head cut off will put a damper on any boast you want to make.

"_Well, that certainly was something"_ Varion thought to himself as he took a seat in the cave, trying to regain clear vision. He hadn't been too drained by his shouts, but using something with speed like whirlwind sprint without being properly ready to shout again was a bad idea. Shaking his head, he grabbed a bag out of his bigger bag. Wrinkling his nose with disgust, he gathered the witches heads, being half tempted to just crush them to bury their memory, but he couldn't fail Kodlak. He made his way out of the cave, breathing deeply and enjoying the fresh air. "Well, better get back" he muttered to himself as he started on the long trek back to Jorrvaskr. He was feeling pretty good about himself, he now had a strategy to help tame the wolf and dragon natures that were waging war within him, he'd succeeded in helping Kodlak with his dying wish and he hadn't lost himself in that fight. Oh, and he was alive. That was a plus.

**X-X-X-X-X**

His good mood was ruined when he got to Whiteruns gate, or rather what was left of it. The thing was smashed to pieces, some bits of it scattered throughout the street and still aflame. The thing that disturbed him most though were the bodies. 6 dead men lay in the street, two of them clad in the uniform of the whiterun guard. The others though were dressed like ordinary bandits, except for the distinctive silver weapons they carried. Varions blood boiled. He saw a guard sitting down leaning against a doorframe clutching his apparently wounded arm. "What happened?" he asked urgently, fearing the worst.

"Damn thugs rode into the city" the guard explained though his tone was clearly one of a man in pain. "We didn't think much of it, they said they were here to see the companions. Then the fighting started at Jorrvaskr" he continued. Varions eyes narrowed.

"Where are they?" he asked, his tone ice cold.

"Bastards fled the city, blasting the gate open. We killed a few, but they're good. Cut down many of our best men" the guard answered, his tone now showing mourning. However, Varion was already gone, running towards Jorrvaskr at full speed.

"_Damn it! No, this can't be!" _he thought desperately as he ran. He used Whirlwind Sprint to ascend the stairs between the plains and wind district and when he did, his anger only increased. Most of Whiterun was gathered around the massive tree, all gazing at Jorrvaskr. The mead hall had taken a massive battering. Bits of the roof were missing, one of the doors was smashed in and fires still burned on and around the hall itself. He saw more silver hand bodies lying around the outside of the hall, cut up and very dead, bleeding all over the place. He was astounded at the amount of dead men. At least twelve dead warriors were lined up outside Jorrvaskr, and that was in addition to the four he'd seen at the city gate. Continuing to move forward, he saw Torvar and Ria investigating the bodies, probably for information or coin, but they had some injuries as well. Evidently, they were far better off than their foes, having some minor cuts on their arms and Ria had one on her face. What he didn't miss thanks to his vision was the expressions on their faces. Ria's was streaked with tears and wracked with grief and Torvar looked more out of it than Varion had ever seen, far beyond his drunkenness. He kept running, quickly making it to the hall itself. He made to open the door, and upon realising it was jammed, tore it off its hinges and threw it aside. The thing had taken a beating anyway, not like he was destroying brand new workmanship. However, Vilkas came storming up to him the second he'd opened the door and he was more pissed off than Varion had ever seen him.

"Where have you been!?" he asked in a tone that emanated pure, barely restrained fury. However, Varion could see that this anger wasn't pure rage, but anger born from loss, the kind he knew well. The expression on his face gave it away.  
"I was off slaughtering some witches for Kodlak. What the hell happened?" he asked. He was amazed that the Silver Hand had dared to do something like this, and halfway succeeded.

"Well I hope your witch hunt was worth it, because the Silver Hand attacked us! We drove them off, they fled, but…" Vilkas trailed off, clenching his fists hard.

"What happe-" Varion went to ask him again, but Vilkas cut him off.

"THEY KILLED KODLAK! THEY CAME IN THERE LOOKING FOR THE OLD MAN, AND THEY KILLED HIM!" Vilkas roared, grabbing Varion and slamming him into one of the walls of Jorrvaskr that was still intact. Varion was stunned.

"_Kodlak's… dead?"_ he thought to himself, not willing to believe it. He looked over at the centre of the hall, and saw Farkas kneeling over the body of the harbinger himself. He was crying, the stoic brute warrior was actually sobbing like a child, clutching Kodlak's limp hand. Aela stood near the plaque for the fragments of Wuuthrad, except it was empty. "_They took the shards of Wuuthrad, and they killed Kodlak..."_ Varion slowly processed. Aela was a mess. Her face portrayed her immense guilt, and if Varion wasn't so stunned, he might have felt the same. Her tears fell freely like they had for Skjor and Varion knew that she felt responsible for Kodlak's death thanks to her spree of vengeance, the one that Varion had started. "_Me and Aela, we caused this attack with your vengeance, and now Kodlak's dead…"_ Varion kept repeating the same phrase over and over in his head, and with each repetition, his shock lessened. His anger on the other hand, rocketed up.

"You should've been here Varion!" Vilkas growled, barely holding himself together. If he stopped being angry, he'd weep, and he couldn't allow himself that weakness. "Njada and Athis lie injured because of this attack! You should've-"

"SHUT UP!" Varion grabbed the hand that Vilkas was using to grip his armour, twisted it away, then grabbed the warrior by the shoulders. In about two seconds, he'd slammed Vilkas into the wall hard enough to cause a small dent. Varion's face was ablaze with fury, greater than he had felt when Skjor died. "If you're done blaming me for something I couldn't help, how about we go do something about this!" he demanded, releasing Vilkas as the companion regained his composure from being slammed into a wall. Varion glanced over at his friend. "Aela!" he called out and she barely managed to meet his eyes. "Did you ever get around to finding the silver hand base?" he continued, the anger never leaving his voice. Aela nodded gingerly.

"That's that then" Vilkas spoke up, walking to stand alongside Varion, his former mood returning. "Varion, you and I are going to their main hiding spot, and we're going to kill every last one of them! They will not be forgiven for what they have done! They'll be destroyed!" he declared violently. Varion nodded in eager agreement, but there was something different. His expression had changed from an unbreakable mask of anger into something more sinister. He now had a look of dark excitement on his face, his mouth turned upwards in a sadistic grin. Without really trying to, a gravelly chuckle escaped his throat, and Vilkas looked at him in confusion.

"Oh yeah" Varion growled, his tone carrying excitement and anger all at once. It was even deeper than usual, more gravelly, more… crazed. "I'll destroy everything, every trace. I'll bring down the very idea of the Silver Hand!" he continued, breathing somewhat heavily, thinking back to Krev's taunts from weeks ago. He felt so weird, he'd felt his dragon side roar in rage during Vilkas' attack on him, it was a feeling he knew well. He'd felt the same during his battle with Krev and during his attacks on the Silver Hand. However, this was different. Usually whenever his dragon soul was agitated, for lack of a better word, it felt heavy, like it was clashing with his mortal half, especially when he held back from his instinct to destroy. However, in this moment, he felt lighter than ever. It felt great, he didn't have any inner conflict. His dragon soul and human mind were in perfect sync. It was like the feeling he had when killing Krev, only even better. The only feeling he had in that moment was a pure desire to rip, to tear, to kill, to watch his enemies bow down and die. It was disturbing, and he was loving it. The other circle members were all looking at him with expressions of concern and partial fear, understandably so as even Aela had never seen Varion act like this. However, just as quick as the rush began, Varion pulled himself back to reality, out of his high. Kodlak's words resonated in his head, about achieving balance with his inner nature, to be at peace, and his statement that he believed Varion to be a good man. That memory, combined with his grief and willpower allowed him to snap himself out of whatever state he had been in. Varion didn't really know exactly what had just happened to him, but it scared him. Unfortunately, this awakening made him extremely dizzy and he nearly fell over. He barely managed to catch himself on a table corner before his arm gave out and he fell towards the ground. However, Vilkas caught him and wrapped Varions arm around his shoulder.

"Varion! Get it together! Are you alright?" Vilkas asked/demanded, worry in his voice. The dragonborn was able to barely notice both Farkas and Aela moving closer to him. His head was a blur, his vision dark, his hearing faint. It was like his senses were overwhelmed. His mind was unresponsive, his dragon soul practically silent and his wolf senses confused. He shook his head and grunted in response, still not trusting his mind to come up with a sentence. After a couple seconds, he forced himself to sharpen his mind.

"I'm alright" he answered quietly, the dark edge gone from his voice. "I'll be alright" he repeated, reassuring himself more than anything. He stood back up, once again towering over most other people, with the exception of Farkas who basically matched his height.

"Are you sure?" Aela asked gently. She'd seen him in his rage, she could recognise the signs, but Varion knew that what just happened had been beyond whatever she had experience with.

"Vilkas. We sleep tonight" Varion commanded, ignoring Aela's question before he started doubting himself again. "Tomorrow, we destroy the monsters who took away Kodlak!"

* * *

A/N:So, there's a new chapter for you guys! It's a little short, not very actiony, but I felt like having a shorter chapter this time so I can put all my effort into the silver hand slaughter! Plus I've had real life stuff going on, so my writings been slower!

So, Kodlak is dead, and evidently, this hits everyone hard. If you guys know Varion, you'll know he's gonna be after vengeance, so, while I don't have the next chapter planned at all, the only thing I know for real, there will be bloodshed. (if you guys get that reference, you are awesome). Yeah, next chapter will be pretty brutal. Prepare yourselves...

What happened with Varion is very important, the short moment in the last part. However, we'll discuss that at a later date. Just keep an eye out for anything like this, aye? You'll thank me for it!

Thanks for reading! Leave a review with your feedback and thoughts, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	19. Blood and Soul 3 - True Vengeance

**Last Time on the Legend of Varion…**

Varion fulfilled Kodlak's request to hunt down the Glenmoril witches, but at a great price. Returning to Whiterun, Varion found Jorrvaskr had been attacked and his mentor had been killed. Bursting with anger, and perhaps something even worse, Varion swore to destroy the silver hand completely and Vilkas vowed to accompany him.

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

Varion was glad he'd made the call to leave after a nights rest despite Vilkas' complaints, seeing as this gave them some time to think up a plan. Before the sun had even risen, he, Vilkas and Aela were looking over all their info on the silver hand, trying to determine where their headquarters were. "It's an old fort called Driftshade Refuge" Aela told them, pointing to it on the map. "It's in the southern corner of the pale, the path there is mountainous and treacherous" she warned. Varion grimaced.

"That's a long way. I think it'd be best if we used horses for this" he suggested. Ever since he arrived in Skyrim he'd been walking to all his destinations, but he didn't feel like walking across a mountain pass towards a fight with the entire remaining silver hand faction. Vilkas nodded.

"They keep some horses reserved for the companions. I'll just get two of them" he said, then turned to leave. Varion followed him out. He was already fully armoured, they'd been ready to depart since they woke up.

"So, we off then?" Varion asked somewhat rhetorically.

"Of course. Once we get to Driftshade, we'll drown the fort in their blood" Vilkas growled angrily. Varion caught up and began walking beside him.

"And we're not taking the others?" Varion questioned again. At this, Vilkas turned around, a glare on his face.

"Of course not! Farkas is beside himself with grief, Aela is no better!" he snapped, his anger clearly building up. "The whelps would get themselves killed! No, me and you are the only ones who can do this, and we will do this! Unless you're thinking of backing out?" he finished, challenging Varion. Varion returned Vilkas' glare.

"_You son of a bitch! You're hardly in a better state than Farkas or Aela, you're just angry instead of sad! Calling us the only ones left in proper condition is just stupid!"_ Varion thought angrily in response, remembering his descent into whatever that rage was from the day before. However, he chose to ignore saying that fairly logical explanation and instead just defend his insulted honour. "Let me be clear Vilkas! I want nothing more than to kill every single bastard in that fortress! You heard me yesterday!" he growled, referencing those events. "I'm just smart enough to want to not get killed in the process!" he continued angrily. He and Vilkas had always been frosty since he walked into Jorrvaskr, and though their relationship had improved, this was definitely a step backwards. Vilkas stared at him angrily, then his shoulders dropped.

"I know" he said softly. Varion forced himself to calm down, the man in front of him was his shield brother after all. When Vilkas looked up, the fire still burned in his eyes. "I apologise for my outburst. But this, this means more to me than anything has in a long time!" he explained. Varion nodded.

"Then let's finish this" he said, holding out his hand to Vilkas. They shook hands firmly, ending their little dramas, at least for the moment, and began to leave the hall at a running pace, eager to destroy their enemies and put their minds at ease.

**X-X-X-X-X**

They set off just after Varion stopped by Breezehome. He left his disgusting witch head collection in his chest, Lydia gave him a farewell hug and he bolted out the door, running down to the stables. Within minutes, Vilkas and he were on their way to The Pale hold, Varion having purchased a horse from Skulvar the stable manager and they rode at full speed.. He and Vilkas didn't talk much besides occasionally discussing if they were going the right way, seeing as they were saving their physical and mental energy for the fight. Varion was a little shaky on his horse, not having ridden one for some time, but he got back into the swing of it quickly. They'd chosen to travel through the mountain passes as opposed to going through Morthal and Dawnstar as it would save time, but it was a tough road. Varion had chosen to take a fur coat with him to help protect from the cold and shelter his face and he pulled it tighter as the wind picked up. Inevitably, a snowstorm was rolling in, battering Varion and Vilkas, though as Nords they carried on. "It's like Skyrim itself is against us!" Vilkas complained as they trudged forwards, their horses going at a far slower pace.

"The companions aren't gonna be beaten by a light breeze!" Varion replied sarcastically. Vilkas snorted in amusement and ducked his head as his horse kept walking. After a few hours, taking periodic breaks to rest their mounts, Varion caught sight of the fort.

"There they are" Vilkas grumbled, flexing his free hand while the other held his horse's reins. Varion rolled his shoulders.

"About time. I'm tired of riding, time to fight!" he replied, dismounting. They chose to leave their horses tied up about a hundred metres from the fort, out of sight of the archers. They crept closer, the snowstorm covering their movements. Varion's hands twitched. He felt uncomfortable being so close to the enemy without his weapon drawn, but the fiery glow of his greatsword would be a dead giveaway to his position. They had obviously been expecting some form of attack, through the storm Varion made out about 4 guards posted, all with bows. He and Vilkas snuck closer and closer until they were against the wall.

"If we show our faces, we'll be shot down, but there's no way in except the front gate" Vilkas groaned. Varion thought for a moment. His idea was rather crazy and he had no idea if it would work, but at the moment it wasn't as if they had any other option.

"Find the weakest part of the fort wall" he commanded, examining the wall as he did so. Vilkas looked confused, but he did as he was asked, and soon they were standing next to a spot that they decided was decidedly the weakest. Varion took a few steps back as Vilkas regarded him curiously.

"So, what exactly is your plan? You don't mean to try shoulder bash the wall down?" Vilkas asked, half joking, half worried for his companions sanity. Varion chuckled.

"You're half right" he answered before taking a deep breath. "FUS RO DAH!" he shouted and the wall burst apart, the large rocks flying into the fort and catching the attention of the guards. Grinning, Varion looked back at his comrade. "For Kodlak Vilkas?" he asked. Overcoming his surprise, Vilkas' face morphed into one of concentration.

"For Kodlak Varion" he said, nodding his head. With that, Varion charged in followed by Vilkas, but the Silver hand were too disoriented by the blast to effectively counter. Varion charged up the fort stairs and met his first opponent. A lightly armoured breton warrior, armed with a dagger and wrapped in a fur cloak. Varion almost laughed, it was truly pathetic. He swung his blade in one powerful horizontal swing and cleaved the poor fool right in half. He heard the cries of battle and inferred Vilkas was handling the others, so he turned his attention to the remaining archer. He raised his blade and charged over, taking a breath and he did.

"FEIM!" The weightless feeling came over him again and he sprinting towards the argonian Silver hand. He chuckled as the arrows flew through him and he lept forward, bringing his sword down as he fell. He became solid the second he attacked and it was just as well he did because the momentum the blade carried combined with the power of his swing cut this enemy in half too, but vertically this time. Varion stepped back from the torrent of blood that was gushing out of his foe and breathed deeply. "I have to stay in control" he muttered. "For Kodlak" he added under his breath. He jumped off the fort wall and landed back on the fort ground, seeing Vilkas make short and brutal work of his enemies as well. The warriors wolf armour was covered in blood and he was breathing more heavily than he should have been.

"We're just getting started. Further in the fort, there'll be more. They all have to die!" Vilkas growled, making his way towards the fort doors. Varion followed along as Vilkas kicked the door in, showcasing the beast blood that granted him strength. It was an empty room and Varion rolled his eyes.

"Of course they couldn't make it easy for us and come fight" Varion muttered, twirling his sword. He threw his cloak aside and walked down through the fort, smelling for enemies. Vilkas did the same, remaining close behind the dragonborn. They didn't bother with being quiet, they weren't going to sneak around this place. Varion intended to kill every one of these warriors face to face, in combat. He owed Kodlak that much, some semblance of honour. It wasn't long before they found some more Silver Hand. That was when the bloodbath began. Varion wielded the Blade of Whiterun like a dremora knight, carving up his enemies with no mercy. He chopped off their limbs, rammed the sword through their hearts, cut them in half using the heat from his blade to melt their bones, it was brutal and swift. His enemies didn't ask for mercy, they knew they would receive one. He and Vilkas had never fought side by side, but in these moments, they moved in sync. They didn't get in each other's way, they watched each others back, all their hostility forgotten in these moments. Varion parried a downwards slash from his enemies orcish greatsword before kicking them in the stomach. As they doubled over, Varion swung his blade down and cleaved their skull clean in half before kicking the now-dead body to the side. His aggression was so great that the Silver Hand warriors, if you could call them that, were hardly able to go on the offence, the majority just feebly trying to block his attacks. As Vilkas was using a greatsword as well, this made clearing out the lightly armoured inhabitants of the fort quite easy. The blood was disgusting and Varion had to spit more times than he could count. His orcish armour was soaked, dripping red, and his face was covered in the stuff, almost making particularly gory warpaint. Bursting into a new room, Varion grabbed a mercenary out of bed and threw him to the floor while Vilkas moved further into the room and engaged the rest.

"What in Oblivion!" his new enemy exclaimed in shock.

"I'm not killing you in your sleep. Come fight me!" Varion growled. The mercenaries eyes widened in fear, recognising who, and what, Varion was. Nonetheless, he grabbed a silver sword off the wall and charged. Varion reached out and smacked the blade to the side, connecting the side of the blade with his gauntlet. He then brought his hand back and smashed it into the silver hands face. While he was stunned, Varion ran his sword right through his chest and he watched the life fade from his enemies eyes. Vilkas walked back to the side of Varion, even more blood-covered. He couldn't see the markings of the wolf armour, it was that bad.

"You offer these cowards more mercy than deserved. They don't deserve Sovngarde" Vilkas said harshly, kicking the dead nords body. Varion rolled his eyes.

"I don't care where they go. I just want them dead" he stated simply, moving to follow Vilkas as his shield-brother descended further into the fort. "_Damn, the empire knew how to build back in the day"_ he thought to himself, rather annoyed at just how big the fort was. It extended underground into caverns, inevitably filled with Silver Hand. Or at least, they were. Within minutes of Varion and Vilkas entering the room, they were reduced to body parts and blood stains on the rocks and walls. Varion could've used his thu'um, but he refrained. He wanted to destroy these villains as Varion the companion, the man Kodlak saw potential in, not the dragonborn who had severe anger issues at the moment. His dragon nature barely stirred within him at all, despite his anger, and Varion was thankful. He needed to know that he could fight without it, and he really didn't need it to get him into a state like he had been when he got back to Jorrvaskr. He was still angry, but his anger fueled his blade and skill as opposed to controlling his actions for him. Every time Varion felt his anger rise up and threaten to overwhelm him, he simply reminded himself that he was here for Kodlak's sake, and that seemed to restore his clear thinking. It was a good thing too, despite the fact that they were caught off guard and most of them fell easily, the ones that were actually equipped with armour and prepared for battle put up a commendable fight. They fell, but Varion had a few cuts on him to show for their battle and Vilkas' left arm had been slashed. They'd stopped to heal it, but the stubborn Nord had insisted they push on ignoring his wound, and Varion hadn't been in the mood to stop him, leaving it at about half healed. More and more bodies fell and by the end, Varion and Vilkas were practically painted red. Finishing off another target, Varion shoved them off of his blade with his foot, seeing as he'd impaled them only a few seconds ago. Glancing over at Vilkas, he saw the warrior split a man right down the centre, similar to the way Varion had done earlier. Of course this didn't help their new colour scheme, but dividing someone in half was practically an instant death. After this, they came to a sturdy looking door in a stone arch.

"I think this is it" Vilkas said, his hands twitching as he looked on. Varion glanced at him and noticed the weary look on his face.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

"It's just, all we've done here. So much death…" Vilkas muttered, gesturing to the blood that adorned both him and Varion. "Would Kodlak have wanted this?" he asked, his voice lacking the fire it contained for the last day. This caused Varion to think.

"I don't know if this is the outcome the old man would've wanted" he started, choosing his words carefully. "But this is the path we chose. We're avenging Kodlak, it'll set the minds of the living at ease. The minds of the dead, I have no idea" he added, hoping that Vilkas wouldn't get all mopey and back out of their final fight.

"I only hope the gods forgive us for what has happened. Sovngarde is no place for monsters" Vilkas lamented. Varion absentmindedly clenched his fist.

"I'm not living this life worried about the next. If the gods value honour, they should forgive you. A life of honour, to me, makes up for one or two slip ups" he finished, ending the conversation there. Truth be told, Varion had no idea how the whole 'forgiveness of the divines' thing worked. Did you just worship them and they'd ignore your sins? He shook his head, clearing his mind.

"For Kodlak Varion?"

"For Kodlak" And with that, the door was kicked in and the fight began again.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Evidently the strongest warriors had been saved for that final room. The door was barely open before the silver hand were crashing down upon them. Varion had barely managed to get his sword up in time to block the attempt on his head and now he was locked in a sword clash with an orc. Despite Varions immense strength, the silver hand was holding his ground. He glared, then breathed deeply. "FUS!" It was only one word, but it stunned the orc. That provided all the time Varion needed. He swung his sword around and cut deep into the orcs side. Tearing the blade out and swinging again, he was cut in half. Varion quickly moved onto his next opponent. He saw Vilkas out of the corner of his eye decapitate someone before flinging the head at his next foe as a distraction, but that brief moment of looking away caused him trouble. His opponent, a middle aged redguard woman, slammed her sword hilt into his face hard, causing Varion to stumble back. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he felt her shield bash him and he lost balance, stumbling back further before falling to one knee, losing grip on his sword. He growled. He was not going to fall here, not when Kodlak still wasn't avenged, or cured, or anything like that. He rose up quickly, slamming into the woman. Varion had many skills. Swordplay, smithing, half decent tracking skills, keen senses and now the thu'um, but sometimes the best solution is the simplest one. He shouldercharged her at full force, knocking her off her feet and back a few metres. He grabbed his sword and walked over to her. He half expected a plea for mercy, but only found a defiant warrior staring at him.

"My soul will go to Sovngarde beast!" she spat. "Can you say the same?" she taunted. Varion rolled his eyes.

"I'll live" he replied simply before stabbing her directly through the face, watching her head start to burn thanks to the enchantment. He tore it out before glancing over and seeing the final Silver Hand warrior left that Vilkas wasn't fighting/hadn't killed. He was a heavily armoured warrior, his orcish armour looking like Varions, only blood-stained instead of just covered in blood. He had a nasty looking silver greatsword on his back and a nasty sneer on his face. The most notable thing about him though was his fur cloak. It was dark brown, the colour of werewolf fur. He was a nord, and by the looks of him, the leader of the silver hand.

"So, the dogs come snarling like rabid beasts" he taunted casually, almost too casually. Varion rolled his eyes.

"I've heard better taunts from the dead" he replied simply. The man said nothing more, instead drawing his silver greatsword and swinging downwards hard. Varion sidestepped the slash before jumping backwards out of range. He ran forward and brought his blade down, but the leader easily blocked it. Varion growled.

"What's wrong wolf? Have the companions been monsters for so long that they've forgotten how to fight a true warrior!" the leader shouted. Varion only rolled his eyes. He swore to keep his emotions in check, but this was the man who ordered Kodlak's death. All the slaughtered werewolves he'd seen, the abducted children like Jortolf, all of it traced back to this man. He had no problem using his full power on a monster like this.

"You want to see a monster?" Varion snarled. "Look in the mirror!" he shouted, before using a different kind of shout. "YOL!" The leader tried to dive to the eyes, but his legs were caught in the blaze, causing him to fall to the ground. Varion ran over and kicked him in the face before hauling him up to his knees. "FUS!" he shouted, stunning the leader further. Drawing his sword back, he envisioned Kodlak and everything his former harbinger meant to him. With a battle roar, he stabbed his blade right through the leaders chest and left it there, watching his enemy grimace in pain. To his credit, the man didn't break down, instead he just stared defiantly at Varion.

"You're a disgrace to the companions" he muttered bitterly. Varion raised an eyebrow. The leader coughed in pain before continuing. "You're all animals. What's the honour in worshipping a daedra? Ysgramor would weep, seeing what you've become" he spat before going silent from the burning wound in his chest. Varion stared emotionlessly at him, surprisingly devoid of anger. He thought for a moment, then replied.

"You butcher people off base assumptions. You torture the creatures you hunt instead of showing mercy with a quick death. You've killed children" Varion started, listing the objective crimes of the man before him, but then he glared. He noticed Vilkas walk next to him, drenched in fresh blood with his sword ready to kill the leader, but Varions gesture caused him to pause. "You attacked the city I call home. You caused the companions to lose their leader. You made Aela cry, and you took from me one of the greatest men I've ever known!" he growled, his voice raising in volume as he did. He grabbed the silver hand leader by the throat and held him close to his face. "So answer me. Who is the real monster here?" The enemy gave no response, so Varion grabbed the handle of his greatsword and tore it out before swinging it around, cutting off the head of the man before him and ending the life of the silver hands leader, avenging his fallen mentor. Varion simply held his sword by the handle, letting the blade rest on the ground as he breathed heavily.

"It's done" Vilkas said emotionlessly. Varion nodded. "May the old man find peace in Sovngarde" he continued, his tone one of mourning.

"May we find peace in this life Varion finished grimly, grabbing a couple of clean-ish rags off one of the tables in the room. He tossed one to Vilkas, then set about cleaning the blood off his face. He felt disgusting, but pushed that aside. Once he was almost acceptably clean, he grabbed another rag and began cleaning his blade. The Blade of Whiterun was a sign of his thaneship, the sign he was a hero. He didn't want it stained from this massacre. He saw a display case holding the fragments of Wuuthrad and he smashed the glass with one punch, placing the shards in a bag he brought with him. He spotted a large chest in the corner of the room, but he ignored it. He wasn't here for treasure.

"There's no reason for us to be here any longer. Let's go home" Vilkas said solemnly.

"Yeah, yeah that would be best" Varion agreed, breathing deeply as he unbolted the other door in the room and walked outside. The snowstorm had died down and he was thankful for that, it would make the ride back far easier. He was tired, but he didn't feel like spending the night in a fort stained with death and vengeance. "_I'll be fine. My wolf blood will keep me awake"_ he reassured himself as he and Vilkas mounted up. His companion also looked like he was ready to fall asleep, but he said nothing. With conflicted feelings in their hearts, Varion and Vilkas began the long ride back to Whiterun, leaving the bloodstained fort long behind them.

* * *

A/N:And the second to last companions questline quest is complete! Sorry that this may not have been the bloodbath I built it up to be, but what can I say? Varion isn't a monster… yet. Dun dun dun

Anyways, not much to say about this chapter, nothing that hasn't already been explained within the story itself. Next chapter will likely be the first chapter in a while with no real combat, seeing as Kodlak's funeral is a somber event. I'd estimate about 2-3 more chapters to go in the companions questline, and indeed in this arc, and then we can move on to greater things! Or at least different things...

Thanks for reading, leave a favourite, a follow and (my favourite things) a review, and I will see you all in the next chapter!


	20. Blood and Soul 4 - Day of Mourning

**Last time of The Legend of Varion…**

Varion and Vilkas killed the entirety of the silver hand at Driftshade Refuge, ending the majority of the Silver Hand organisation. They now return to Whiterun with heavy hearts and bloodsoaked blades…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The skies were dark and the mood was solemn as Varion entered the grounds of Jorrvaskr, though he and Vilkas seemed to be alone in that depressed mood. Inside the bannered mare back in the plains district, he had heard shouts of joy and revelry, no doubt a large feast was going on with drinking and conversation where he assumed the other companions would be. "_Whatever lets them get their minds off this"_ he thought dejectedly. He was in no mood for celebrating, not after the last week of events had left him completely drained. Dragging himself up the steps of the Skyforge, he saw Eorlund working away as always. They'd arrived at Whiterun in the late hours of the night, so Varion was half surprised to see the blacksmith at work, but everyone deals with grief in their own way. Varion absentmindedly traced a bloodstain on his armour. He'd have to get this replaced as soon as possible, he didn't feel comfortable wearing this stuff, not after what he'd done in it.

"Ah, Varion. Good to see you safe" Eorlund greeted. Varion nodded in response.

"I have the shards" he said, walking past Eorlund to place the bag on the forge bench. He sighed before speaking again. "The silver hand are gone," he continued. Eorlund nodded.

"Good. They deserved their fate" the blacksmith growled. Varion suspected he'd said that to try to comfort the young warrior, but Varion was too solemn for that. "I hate to burden you more Varion, but I have a favour to ask". At this, he gave a humourless laugh.

"Seems all I do is run errands for you" he replied without any real heat to it. "What do you need?"

"Kodlak kept the last fragment of Wuuthrad close to him at all times, in his quarters. I, I can't bring myself to go in there" Eorlund admitted, bowing his head in shame. Varion nodded.

"I'll get it. Are you going to reforge the axe?" he asked.

"Aye. First time I've had all the pieces. It's been broken for too long. As the blade is repaired, I hope the companions can heal too" he said.

"Never took you for a poet" he replied in humour. "I'll get you the shard. How long til the axe is forged?"

"A few days at least. This is the most important weapon I've crafted, not something to be rushed" Eorlund answered back. Varion nodded, then walked back down the stairs. Walking through the wrecked hall to Kodlak's room was painful. Despite his desire to get it over and done with, he couldn't help but walk at a slow pace. He stopped at the closed doors to Kodlak's room, next to the table that the old man used to sit at. Varion closed his eyes and leaned against a wall.

"Damn it old man" he muttered in sadness. Steeling himself, he opened the doors. It was a nice room, full of treasure and trophies from adventures long since past. If Vilkas was here with him, no doubt Varion could learn tons about so much, but he wasn't here for that. He opened up the draw next to Kodlak's bed and found the fragment of Wuuthrad, along with his journal. Despite it feeling slightly disrespectful, Varion wasted little time in beginning to read. "There has to be something in here about a cure, anything to give us a clue!" he said aloud in desperation. He failed to protect Kodlak while he was alive, he could at least help the old man in his death. However, as he read further, Varions heart sank. He completed the journal in silence, closing it gently before placing it back on the bedside table. Unable to stand, Varion collapsed and sat on the bed as he thought about what he had just read. "Kodlak…" was the only word he spoke. He then felt something run down his right cheek, something he didn't think he'd ever feel again. A single tear had escaped his eye. "I haven't cried since I killed him…" he said aloud softly. He wasn't exactly surprised. In the short time he'd known him, Kodlak had grown to be something of a second father to Varion. He'd helped with taming his inner demons more than even Arngeir had, and he and the companions had helped set Varion on a good course for carving his own life in Skyrim. But the words in the journal, Kodlak's dreams, his thoughts on Varion, and even a suggestion that Varion should be the next harbinger of the companions. It was almost too much to take in, and the dragonborn in question didn't feel worthy of all this. "_If only we could've spoken more"_ he thought sadly. As he reflected, he heard a small noise from the doorway. Glancing behind him, he saw Aela standing there gazing at him.

"Varion, are you alright?" she asked gently. Varion considered denial for a moment, then his shoulders drooped.

"No. It's too much" he said in an almost broken tone. Aela stepped into the room, moving closer to him. She glanced over at Kodlak's journal.

"The old man's journal?" she asked with curiosity as opposed to an accusatory tone which Varion was thankful for.

"Yeah. There's nothing about a cure" he sighed.

"What else does it- No. I don't want to know" she started before stopping, grief overtaking her expressions again. Varion stood up and walked over to her.

"I've got to get this to Eorlund. Wuuthrad's being reforged" he explained before moving past her and back to the blacksmith.

"Wait, Varion-" Aela made to say something, but he was gone before she could. At the skyforge, Eorlund gave his thanks for fetching the shard and Varion began the relatively short walk back to Breezehome. He wasn't in the mood for any celebrations, he didn't drink, he didn't sing and he definitely didn't feel like telling stories tonight. In his depressed state, he didn't notice someone following him. He entered Breezehome, but Lydia was nowhere to be seen. Assuming she was already asleep, he made his way to his room, stripping off his armour as he did. Being left in just pants and a thin shirt, he moved to go to his bed, eager to forget about the horrific few days he'd just had. However, the person who was following him chose to make herself known. At the tap on his shoulder, Varion instinctively spun around, carrying a right hook with his momentum. However, it was a sloppy move, allowing his hidden stalker to duck under his attack before slamming her body weight into his chest, knocking him backwards onto his bed. He glanced up at who it was before relaxing.

"I knew you were the sneaky type Aela" he jested with no real humourous tone in his voice. Luckily for her, the dragon nature within him was silent and had been for hours, so he wasn't going to lash out for the stalking or the surprise attack.

"You left before I could finish talking" she said simply, though her tone carried no offence. Varion sighed softly.

"Sorry. Didn't feel like being around people" he replied simply.

"And now?" she asked. Varion took in her appearance. She had forgone her armour, wearing a casual shirt and pants. Her warpaint was gone, though her eyes were still rimmed red from tears.

"Are you suggesting something?" he asked cautiously, tensing up as theories rolled around in his head. He could've sworn she blushed at that, but he thought it wiser not to point that out.

"No, no. Not what you're implying" she reassured him, and he untensed a bit at that. "I just…" she trailed off. Varion stood back up and walked over to her.

"Aela?" he asked simply and she met his eye with some reluctance.

"I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want you to be alone" she almost whispered. Despite his mood, Varions lips twitched upwards in something of a smile.

"Thank you" he said sincerely and Aela stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. He returned the embrace and they stood there, enjoying the comfort of each others company. After a while, Varion broke the hug and made to return to his bed. "Would you like to stay?" he asked. Aela silently nodded. They both climbed into the bed, lying down side by side. Aela snuggled into Varions chest and he wrapped his arms around her once more. Many thoughts flashed through his head. He didn't love Aela in a romantic way, he wasn't even sure he was capable of such a thing, and any sexual thoughts were nowhere to be found inside his mind, but he was drawing great pleasure from her company. When he felt her frame shake and faint sobbing come from her, he tightened his grip and she held onto him as she cried. "_The old man was truly a father to her. I knew him for a month and a bit, she knew him for decades"_ he thought, understanding his companions anguish. Eventually her tears subsided and she glanced up at him.

"Thank you" she said, mirroring his words from earlier. Before he could reply, she kissed his cheek before closing her eyes and returning her head onto his chest. His earlier words died on his tongue and he simply allowed his lips to form into a small smile.

"Rest well" he whispered before closing his own eyes. Sleep came fast and the two companions dreamed of better days.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The next morning came all too soon. Lydia had been blushing when she saw Aela and Varion exit the room together, but in his usual blunt fashion, Varion explained the situation as it was. "I'd better not spread the word that the two fiercest warriors in Whiterun are the cuddling type!" Lydia had joked when she heard this news, though Varion just shrugged and the huntress simply blushed, rolled her eyes and turned away, grabbing her bow that she'd left downstairs. Of course she hadn't come without a weapon.

"The funeral is tonight Varion" Aela said softly, glancing back at the dragonborn before walking out the door. He sighed heavily.

"I know. I'll be there, I promise" he replied reassuringly. Even if part of him wanted to be anywhere else but there, he wouldn't miss this for the world, or a dragon attack, or Delphine, or the Greybeards, or anything else that required his attention. Lydia rested a hand on his shoulder and Varion allowed himself to enjoy the reassurance for a few seconds before he heard a cry from outside. Growling in frustration, he grabbed his old one handed blades from their place on the weapon rack before throwing the door open. What he saw surprised him. Aela and the city guard were currently dueling against three dark robed figures. What should have normally been an easy fight for a companion was far too even for his liking, as the robed figures shot red magic from their hands and kept up with Aela's hand to hand combat with only minor struggle. Wasting no time, Varion threw himself forward and kicked the one attacking Aela, sending them flying a short distance. He tossed her one of his swords before blocking a dagger slash from the second robed figure. He glanced behind them and saw a Whiterun guard bleeding on the ground and he grit his teeth. Returning his eyes to his attackers face, he saw their eyes glow orange and he knew what he was dealing with. Snarling in anger, he unleashed Whirlwind sprint and crashed right into the vampire, ramming them into the city gate. He then jumped back and drove his sword through their heart, instantly killing them and pinning them to the wooden gate behind them. He glanced back and saw Aela break the neck of the last remaining vampire, the one he kicked had been impaled by Lydia. Varion breathed heavily in annoyance.

"Are you alright my thane?" Lydia asked.

"Yeah. God damn bloodsuckers. Why today?" he growled. He was really hoping that today would be peaceful, but this was a bad sign.

"Varion. I have a theory" Aela said, walking up behind them. "While we were…" she trailed off, not exactly comfortable with recalling their tales of vengeance. "Back at Jorrvaskr, there were quite a few contracts coming in related to vampire attacks. There were about 3 in the Rift, two in the Reach, and five from Haafingar" she explained. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"So these guys have been attacking cities now?" he questioned.

"Not just cities. These jobs were mainly to deal with attacks on small farms or towns. This is the first I've heard of an attack on a major hold city" she said, frowning as she did so. Varion thought on this.

"Damn it. Dragon crisis, civil war, silver hand and now vampires. Will Skyrim ever give me a break?" he wondered aloud. Aela scoffed.

"You're dragonborn. I don't think you'll be getting a quiet farming life" she teased. He just rolled his eyes at this. She smirked and headed off, waving goodbye as she did so. Varion turned his eyes back to the carnage, but then saw an orc walk through the city gates. He was dressed in strange looking armour, different to anything Varion had seen before. He also had a strange looking weapon on his back. He shook his head in disappointment as he saw the dead guard and vampires whose bodies were starting to disintegrate in the sun now that they were dead.

"Such a damn shame. If only people took this menace more seriously" the orc lamented before looking at Varion. "Did you put down these scum?" he asked. Varion cautiously nodded.

"I took down one. My associates did in the others. Why?"

"I'm from an organisation called the Dawnguard. We're always on the lookout for capable warriors to fight against the vampire menace" he explained. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"Huh, not bad. Where can I find these dawnguard?" he asked.

"Good to see someone cares" the orc said with a smile, or as close to a smile as he could get with his rather intimidating face. "It's in an old fort in Dayspring Canyon, south east of Riften. Talk to Isran. I think he'll like you" the orc finished, offering his hand for Varion to shake. Varion clasped it firmly.

"Keep a spot reserved for me," he said in farewell and the orc nodded.

"What have you got yourself involved in now?" Lydia asked. Varion sighed.

"Yet another crisis. It can wait until tomorrow" he assured her, not wanting anyone to think he was going to skip the funeral. He retrieved his spare sword off the ground where Aela had dropped it during her fight.

"Of course my thane" Lydia said, nodding her head. Varion flexed his shoulders then walked back towards his house.

"We've got some preparing to do. I'm not wearing bloodstained armour to Kodlak's funeral" he half-jested, though his words weighed more heavily on his soul than he realised. Lydia said nothing, just silently following along with concern for her thane.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Putting his armour on in preparation for Kodlak's funeral was one of the most difficult eqippings Varion had ever undertaken in his life. His heart was heavy, his mind was fogged and in the end, he chose to forgo his helmet, not wanting to hide his face at all, not at this event. He'd spent about an hour just polishing his armour, trying to remove the blood from it. He'd spent equally as long on his sword, and though it shone now with it's orange glow, his hands were raw. With great reluctance, Varion left Breezehome with Lydia in tow. She'd also cleaned up for the event, her armour shining in the torch light. It was a clear night and the whole city was gathered outside of Jorrvaskr. They parted as Varion walked past and made his way to the steps of the skyforge. He heard the occasional whispers of "companion" or "dragonborn". He internally scoffed. "_Great, people know me for what I am, not who I am"_. He didn't spend too long on this annoyance, he had greater concerns. Reaching the skyforge stairs, he turned around and glanced back at Lydia who gave a nod and remained at the bottom. As he stood at the top of the forge, he saw Kodlak's body lying on a pyre in the centre and his heart grew heavier. Varion glanced at the surrounding crowd. He saw Nazeem, Alvor, Faendal, Arcadia the alchemist, everyone in Whiterun hold seemed to be gathered to pay respects to Kodlak. The jarl walked over to Varion, getting his attention back from the crowd. He extended his arm and Varion clasped his forearm in a warriors handshake.

"My Jarl" Varion greeted simply.

"Dragonborn" Balgruuf replied. "My greatest sympathies Varion. All of Skyrim weeps at this loss" he said solemnly.

"Thank you sir. I'll miss him greatly" Varion replied sadly. They ended their greeting and Varion glanced over the crowd again. "Seems like half the hold is here" he said absentmindedly.

"Aye, Kodlak was known throughout the whole country, and beloved throughout Whiterun hold" Balgruuf replied. He looked at Varion with a curious expression. "Any news of who will be his successor?" he asked. Varion frowned, a little taken aback.

"No-one could ever replace Kodlak. He was a greater man than any of the companions here" he said solemnly. The jarl nodded.

"Well, I'm sure he had someone in mind" Balgruuf said knowingly. Varion regarded him with some interest. Perhaps Kodlak had told him about his thoughts? It wouldn't have surprised him honestly. With that, the Jarl gave Varion a nod and then took his place in the semi circle surrounding the pyre. The circle stood in front of them all, each holding a torch in their hand. Aela spoke first.

"Who will speak on the circles behalf? Varion?" she asked, gesturing to him. Varion felt uncomfortable with all the eyes now on him, but he gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"Before the ancient flame" he began.

"We grieve". The whole crowd spoke in unison, such a word was powerful.

"At this loss…" Eorlund added.

"We weep". It was hardly the volume of the greybeards, but you could feel the pain in every person as they spoke the words.

"For the fallen" the jarl spoke.

"We shout!" Varion stepped forward. Aela had briefed him about what the companions wanted him to do here earlier and while he found it a little overkill, he accepted.

"Yol" he said, far softer than any shout he'd used before. The pyre was lit ablaze and began to burn, taking the body of Kodlak with it. Varion felt terrible, but he forced himself to continue. "And for ourselves…" he continued.

"We take our leave". The collective voice of mourning echoed throughout the city, throughout the hold. Varion felt another tear roll down his cheek and he allowed it to fall, but he refused to cry anymore. He wouldn't allow himself that weakness. Looking around, he saw that he was clearly the only one feeling such restrictions. Everyone else was ranging from teary to full out weeping, not that the dragonborn could blame them. His very soul was heavy, but with grief instead of dragon instinct. Kodlak had truly been like a father to him in the short time he'd known him, and he hadn't felt this remorse since his actual parents were taken from him. The memories flashed into his mind and his breathing became shallower, more rapid. Clenching his fist hard enough to draw blood if he wasn't armoured, he tried to shove down the panic.

"_Everyone's watching, I won't freak out now, I can't!"_ he shouted internally, though it did little to reduce the anxiety he now felt. He was half tempted to wake up his dragon nature just to give himself something else to focus on, but he then felt a weight on his shoulder. Aela stood next to him, holding her torch in one hand and resting the other on his shoulder. He focused on her hand and on Kodlak in front of him, though the tension in his body remained. Slowly but surely, the memories died down and his breathing returned to normal. He shot Aela a solmen, yet grateful smile and she nodded in return. Eventually, the citizens started to leave, followed by the nobles and Balgruuf. The four companions of the circle were the last to leave and Varion followed his fellow members into the underforge. Upon entering, Vilkas, Farkas and Aela almost immediately began a heated discussion, arguing back and forth about the wolf blood. Varion may have been in a grieving mood and barely on the edge of a panic attack, but he was done with this.

"Being moon-born isn't as much of a curse as you might think Vilkas!" Aela snapped. Vilkas glared.

"The blood keeps you from Sovngarde! What true nord would turn their back on-"

"SHUT UP! YOUR OPINIONS DON'T MATTER FOR THIS!" Varion roared and everyone, even Aela, shut up real quick. He breathed deeply, then continued more calmly. "Sorry, but it had to be said. I don't care what you each think of the blood. What I do know is that Kodlak wanted a cure. We owe it to the old man to see his dream fulfilled" he explained, and he was surprised to see many nods of agreement.

"Apologies Varion. My personal view got in the way again" Vilkas said sorrowfully.

"Sorry" Aela muttered, which was basically her way of saying what Vilkas said but far less eloquently. Varion breathed deeply again.

"Ok, I cut off the heads of all the witches. Does anyone have any idea what to do with them?" he asked. Predictably, Vilkas spoke up.

"Yes, I believe I have the solution," he said. "I was pouring over some old tomes of mine and I found something interesting. Far north, near winterhold, lies the ancient tomb of Ysgramor. It says that the soul of a companion can be cleansed there" he explained.

"There the soul of the harbingers shall heed the call of northern steel" Aela said softly. Vilkas looked at her in surprise.

"You know of it?" he asked.

"I loved the old man just as much as the rest of you" she said somewhat defensively. "But to enter the tomb, you need Wuuthrad, and it's been in pieces for thousands of years" she finished. Varion clenched his fist, unwilling to be stopped by such an annoying detail.

"And elves once ruled skyrim. Dragon's were once just stories. Just because something is, doesn't mean it has to be" Eorlund announced, walking into the underforge. "Wuuthrad is ready to be rebuilt

"You can reforge it?" he practically whispered, in reverence of the axe.

"A weapon is a tool. Tools are meant to be broken and repaired" Eorlund said simply. "This is the first time I've had all the pieces, largely thanks to the dragonborn" he explained, gesturing to Varion who nodded in response. "The flames of Kodlak's spirit will reforged Wuuthrad, and in turn, it will allow for his soul to rest in peace" Eorlund finished pridefully.

"Alright! Finally some good news!" Farkas said, more enthusiasm in his voice here than he'd had in days.

"Indeed Farkas" Eorlund agreed. "It will take a few days to finish forging the axe, as it is not a job to be rushed. But after it is done, Kodlak can be freed" he declared. Varion nodded.

"Alright, here's the plan" he announced, glancing at the other companions. "Eorlund's gonna finish forging the axe, then we all head to Ysgramor's Tomb. We meet back here in one week, that'll give him plenty of time and give us time to keep ourselves busy. No point sitting around here doing nothing for all that time, or starting a contract and not being back in time" he explained. Vilkas and Farkas looked at Varion with wide eyes and Aela smirked.

"Looks like someone's training for a leadership role" she teased. Varion just rolled his eyes in response.

"Everyone agreed?" he asked. The other companions all nodded. "Alright, good. For Kodlak!" he shouted, raising his fist as he did. Everyone else copied his movement.

"FOR KODLAK!"

* * *

A/N:Woo boy, closest call I've had to not getting a chapter out in 3 days. I think I'll slow it down to weekly!

So, now Varion has a little time to kill before the finale to the companions questline! Leave suggestions on what he should do in the reviews!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to seeing you all in the next one!


	21. Blood and Soul 5 - Dawnguard

**Last time on the Legend of Varion…**

After late night comforting and vampire attacks (long story), Varion and the other companions had Kodlak's funeral. Afterwards, they made plans to travel to the tomb of Ysgramor in one week to save their mentors soul. But until then, Varion has some time (among other things) to kill…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"We could simply take the carriage my thane" Lydia commented, riding after Varion. He glanced back at her momentarily before replying.

"I feel more comfortable on my own mount" he replied simply. Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Never one for doing things the easy way, are you?" she snarked. She'd slowly become a bit more accustomed to Varion's lenience and her inner deadpan snarker was out in full force. When she'd first been assigned to work under this 6'5 muscular monster of a nord who could shout energy, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't intimidated. However, after travelling with him for so long, she felt more like a friend than a servant. Plus he was nothing like the awful nobles that she'd seen pester the Jarl on a day to day basis, that was something she was eternally grateful for.

"Gotta get stronger somehow" he replied simply, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. Lydia knew that he wasn't the most comfortable warrior to ever ride a horse, hence why he walked nearly everywhere. Part of her felt like he just chose to go on horseback to make it easier for her. She would've followed him anywhere, such was her duty, but trying to keep up with him as he walked to Morthal, through a nordic ruin and then back to Whiterun was exhausting. Her legs subconsciously ached at the memory, she was not inhumanly fit enough for that.

"So, why are we heading to Riften?" she asked, reigniting the conversation. He'd announced his travel plans that morning and she'd happily followed along, but he hadn't yet said why.

"These vampire attacks are worrying me" he answered. "This Dawnguard sounds like a pretty good place to start with stopping them" he replied simply. Lydia internally reflected on a past event at his words. She still remembered that night in Morthal where he'd encountered a vampire who'd tried to seduce him and apparently nearly killed her. The funeral notwithstanding, she'd never seen Varion so shaken. She wondered why he had reacted that way, but she'd been trained not to pry into her thanes personal life. However, Varion had made it clear that to him, she was a friend, not a servant. Internally steeling herself, she made up her mind.

"My thane, if I may, why do you hate vampires so much?" she asked cautiously. Varion glanced back at her again.

"I hate those who prey on the weak. Vampires do that. If I ever met a vampire who was content to just chill around and be peaceful, chances are I wouldn't kill it. But ones like that bitch in Morthal, the ones that attacked Whiterun. They're dangerous" he explained, his tone carefully modulated. Lydia assumed he was doing so as to not scare her.

"I see. I was just curious" Lydia said and Varion nodded before continuing to ride on. Lydia was worried about him, ever since she'd known him, it was like he'd been growing darker and darker. Since his conversation with Arngeir, it was like had a weight on his shoulders most of the time. He was still pleasant to be around, relatively polite to his friends (as much as he ever was) and his jokes had made Lydia laugh more times than she could count on her hands, but lately, especially since Skjors death, he'd been more restrained, it seemed. It was like he was constantly trying to hold something back, and she hated it. She missed the times when Varion was happy, enthusiastic, like when they'd gone dragon hunting with Faendal and Aela. Well, at least before he'd nearly gotten killed, but that was almost a daily occurrence for him, not that it made it any easier on Lydia's conscience. "_Or my heart"_ she thought to herself sadly. As much as she tried to deny it, she was aware that she had developed some form of feelings for her thane, and she didn't like it. Ever since he'd met her, he'd treated her as a relative equal with the only difference being her inability to shout energy), instead of a slave like most other housecarls in Whiterun. She'd heard horror stories about being a housecarl, yet she found none of those fears applied to her situation. Varion was powerful yet caring, strong yet gentle (occasionally), and he was her thane, she was a housecarl. It would never work out, besides, he hardly seemed like the kind to want romance, especially now. "_But there was Aela"_ Lydia thought bitterly. She remembered the shock of seeing the two of them emerge from his bedroom that morning, and the jealousy that had burned in her heart for a few moments. Once Varion explained it, somehow, that made it even worse. Like any regular person, she'd assumed they had sex, but no, they'd just spent the night in each others embrace. Varion, the most brutal and powerful nord she knew, the man who would tell anybody to shut up even if they were the emperor of tamriel, just spent the night cuddling with somebody. Pulling herself out of her sad contemplation, Lydia forced herself to focus on the present. "_I am his housecarl. My duty is to serve him. My feelings have no place there"_ she reminded herself the same way she'd done for nights now.

"Something on your mind?" Varion spoke up, further snapping Lydia out of her daydream. He had slowed down his horse to ride next to her and his face had worry on it. He'd left his helmet in his bag, saying that he hated wearing the thing when he didn't need to and Lydia could see his concerned expression in all it's distractedly handsome glory… She internally shook her head, clearing the thoughts away again.

"No, nothing's wrong," she said, trying to reassure him. Based on his expression change, he clearly didn't believe her.

"Lydia, somethings bothering you. What is it?" he pressed further, causing Lydia to blush slightly.

"I told you, it's not-"

"Lydia. You said to me that I could talk to you about anything. That's a two way offer. You can tell me" he said, his voice gaining the comforting tone she'd heard before. She kicked herself.

"My thane, do you have…" she trailed off, not sure how to phrase it. He said nothing, not helping her hesitation. "I'm curious as to your relationship with Aela" she mumbled, though of course he heard it. Ever since he'd become a werewolf (quite the shocking revelation when she'd heard about it), she couldn't so much as whisper without him hearing something. Varion didn't laugh off her inquiry, or appear to change much in terms of expression, which didn't help her worry that she'd overstepped her boundaries.

"Aela is a strong woman, and a good friend" Varion answered, his tone seeming to be careful. Praying to a divine or two for protection, she pushed further.

"Do you have feelings for her?" she managed to get out. Once again, silence was her answer for a few seconds.

"I don't know" Varion replied eventually. Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Stuff happened a while ago Lydia. I don't know if I can ever feel that way for someone again" he said, being as infuriatingly vague as ever when discussing his past. However, the pain in his voice made it clear that this wasn't a pleasant memory, and she was the one who'd made him relive it.

"My thane, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" Her apology was cut off by Varions hand.

"Don't. I'm tired of you apologising for nothing" he said without any real heat in his voice. "You had a question, I answered it. Everything's fine" he reassured. Lydia breathed deeply and nodded in reply, not trusting herself to say anything further.

"_Well, that wasn't exactly a clear answer…"_ she thought to herself, traitorous thoughts of hope rattling around in her head.

"Did you just want me to cuddle with you for the night?" he joked and her eyes widened considerably.

"Sh- shut up…" she mumbled with a large blush on her face and Varion chuckled, a sound she hoped to hear far more from him in the future.

**X-X-X-X-X**

To Varions relief, the remaining trip was far less awkward. His mind was still going over what Lydia had said and he'd come to a saddening realisation. "_She likes me"_ he thought with frustration. He wasn't that oblivious. He had caught on to her feelings, as well as those of Aela's. While the thought of two women liking them might have been the dream of some men, for Varion, it was a nightmare. He'd never had a relationship in his life, and nowadays, he was looking for one even less. "_If this keeps up, those two will just have their hearts broken,"_ he lamented. "_Plus, how can they fall in love with a monster?"_ Having had more time to think about what happened over the course of the last month, Varion was more unsure of himself than ever. The amount of blood he'd spilled over that time, and how much he'd enjoyed it was disturbing, and that brief moment in Jorrvaskr still haunted him.

"_I'll destroy everything, every trace. I'll bring down the very idea of the silver hand!"_

His words from that time echoed in his head, he'd been so excited during that moment, so eager for blood, it still made him tense thinking about it. What if he hadn't snapped himself out of it? He shook his head. This wasn't the time for that. He hadn't had a relapse since then, and his near panic attack notwithstanding, he was doing far better now. "_Maybe it's just the fresh air. I've wanted to see more of Skyrim"_ he thought. As Riften came into sight, Varion glanced back at Lydia who was looking far more at ease than she was before. "Lydia" he called out, getting her attention. "I'm gonna stop in at Riften. You can stay there if you want while I check out the Dawnguard" he offered. Lydia shook her head.

"Nice try my thane, but we're already on an adventure. You can't leave me behind" she replied smirking. Varion gave a small grin, there was the sarcasm he'd missed. They approached the city gates and stopped by the stables to drop off their horses, paying the brute of a stable manager to watch over them. As he approached the guards standing by the gate, Varions nose wrinkled. He wasn't even in the city and already he could smell the stench. It was disgusting. Ignoring it, he pushed onwards, coming face to face with the guard at the gate.

"Hold there!" he called out. "If you want to come into Riften, you need to pay the visitors tax" he explained. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"A visitors tax? What for?"

"For the privilege of entering the city! What else does it matter?" the guard said with irritation. Varion looked him over. The guy was fat, standing cockily and had the gleam of greed in his eye. Exactly the kind of guard that Varion couldn't stand.

"I'm not paying for this bullshit excuse for a swindle" he said clearly. He stood up straighter, towering over the two guards. "For a couple of thieves and con artists, you're truly pathetic" he added, making no secret of his anger. He could've sworn the guards went a shade paler before the first one fumbled around in his pocket for the keys.

"Uh, sorry sir. We'll open the gate at once" he said shakily and Varion breathed deeply. He was glad his intimidation tactic worked so well, or he'd have found himself a new punching bag. As he and Lydia entered the city, he threw one last glare at the guards and chuckled as they shrank under his gaze. Entering the city, the smell was even worse. Lydia nearly gagged while Varion himself grimaced, though they adapted fairly quickly.

"Well, that is disgusting" Lydia complained and Varion nodded in agreement, not wanting to draw breath to chuckle. All it did was make them even keener to leave. As they walked down the main street, Varion saw a big nasty brute leaning against a wooden post in full steel armour.

"Hey, big guy!" he called out at Varion and he glanced over. The nord in question was certainly big, probably as muscular as Varion himself and only a little shorter.

"You want something?" he replied.

"I don't know you. You in Riften looking for trouble?" he asked, or rather, threatened under the pretense of a question. Varion clenched his fist subtly and tried to keep the smirk off his face.

"What's it to you?" he replied challengingly, against his better judgement. He could hear Lydia's facepalm behind him, but he didn't care. The thug pushed off his pole and stood up straight, about an inch shorter than the dragonborn.

"Watch your tone friend" the man grunted though there was nothing friendly about his tone. "Last thing the Blackbriars need is some troublemaker getting involved in their business," he added. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"Blackbriar? Like the mead?" he asked. The man nodded.

"Yeah, that's them. Maven Blackbriars the most powerful woman in Riften, so you'd better behave around here if you don't want to end up in a gutter!" he growled. His tone then took a more offering one. "I'm Maul. I watch the streets for them. I can get you almost any info you want to know, but it'll cost you" he said, his sleazy tone reeking of a salesman about to overcharge for a product. He rolled his eyes, trying to hold back his desire to punch the guy. Knocking out the henchman for the 'most powerful woman in Riften' was not gonna make him a popular guy.

"How about you give me a discount?" Varion replied, not quite in a neutral tone. Maul glared at him.

"I can give you a broken jaw!" he growled. Varion cracked his knuckles.

"And I can give you a one way trip to Sovngarde. Sounds like a better deal than what you would've given me" he threatened back. The two glared at each other for a few moments before Maul chuckled.

"Been a while since I've seen someone with a backbone in Riften. You need a favour, you can talk to me" he said before walking off. Varion untensed, though was slightly disappointed at the lack of fight.

"Well that was, interesting?" he said mainly to himself.

"Is all of Riften that unfriendly?" Lydia asked, taking her hand off the sword she'd prepared to kill Maul with if need be.

"If it is, I'll just glare at it until it's nice" Varion joked, making his way over to the inn he saw, the Bee and Barb. Opening it, he was relieved that it smelled marginally better than outside and he sat down at an empty table, gesturing the free seat to Lydia. "So, I don't want to spend more time here than I have to. How about we just stay one night, head to the fort, then ride til we get back to Whiterun?" Varion asked. Lydia grinned.

"Sounds like a plan. This city is rubbing me the wrong way" she agreed. Varion then frowned as he saw someone across the bar looking at him. It was what looked like a nord with average length reddish hair, stubble, and a cocky visage. The stranger glanced away without so much as reacting, but Varion was now a little on edge. Part of him was hoping for a bar fight so he could beat up this stalker without getting in trouble for assault. His planning was cut off when he noticed a woman walk into the bar. She had a large battleaxe on her back and was fully armoured, war paint adorning her face. Varion straightened up a little. He wasn't sure what to make of her, but the look on her face didn't scream 'enemy'. Surprisingly, she walked over to him.

"Hey there. New in Riften?" she asked. Varion nodded slowly.

"Just passing through. You are?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm Mjoll. Welcome" she said. Varion offered his hand and she shook it.

"I'm Varion. Good to meet you" he replied. "What's a warrior like yourself doing here?" he asked casually. She chuckled a little.

"I'm here to slay a great beast, though not one you'd probably imagine" she replied. Varion shrugged.

"I kill dragons for a job. Surprise me" he said casually. As predicted, her eyes widened.

"You're the dragonborn? The legendary hero?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, that's me," he replied. He was quite used to the awe that people had when they first found out. "So what's your beast?" Surprised at his nonchalance, Mjoll quickly resumed flow of her conversation.

"The corruption in Riften. It's sickening" she muttered and Varion nodded, scowling as he did.

"Yeah, I've had run ins with corrupt guards and street thugs already, and I've been here for all of a day," he noted.

"See? This is what I'm here to stop. This once proud city is a mess" she lamented. "I try to do what I can to make the lives of the people better, but the Blackbriars and Thieves Guild are formidable," she added. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"The thieves guild? They're here?" he asked curiously. Mjoll scoffed.

"To call it a guild is ridiculous," she muttered. "It's shameful, a group of people who'd betray each other over coin. Even the dark brotherhood has a strict set of tenets to abide by, these thieves are just rabble" she finished angrily. Varion regarded her with interest.

"Well, I wish you luck in your beast slaying, but I've got vampires to go kill" he said. At her raised eyebrow, he elaborated. "I came to Riften to sign up with the Dawnguard. Big orc came and asked if I wanted to join". Mjoll looked curious.

"Aye, I've seen recruiters around Riften. I'd consider joining up myself, but I've already got a crisis to deal with" she said with sadness.

"You'll need all the help you can get. Maybe I can come back here and give you a hand" Varion offered. The surprise on Mjolls face didn't go unnoticed.

"Really?"

"Well, the thieves guild is one matter I'd rather not delve into until they've messed with me" he admitted. "But Maven Blackbriar, she's already rubbed me the wrong way with her street thugs. If we can get her taken down a peg, I'd be all for it" he explained in a low voice, not sure who might be listening. Mjoll had a gleam in her eye that contained enthusiasm, and she gladly nodded.

"Maven is crucial to the survival of the thieves guild. Crush her and they will fall. I hope to see you again Varion" she said warmly and Varion gave her a small smile in response. She stood up and nodded to them before leaving, though Varion noticed a man following her who gave him a not so pleasant look. The mans frown melted under Varions glare, though Mjoll noticed none of that.

"Well, that was interesting" Lydia commented, having remained quiet through that exchange.

"Her hearts in the right place. It's nice to see someone in this town who isn't pathetic" Varion noted absentmindedly. He thought he saw a couple glares thrown his way from his rather offensive comment, but he didn't care. "I've had enough. Time to sleep" he said with a yawn, and he tossed a coin purse over to the innkeeper. The weary pair headed upstairs to their room which (to Lydia's hidden disappointment) had two beds this time. Removing his armour in record time, Varion was asleep the second his head hit the pillow.

**X-X-X-X-X**

To say Fort Dawnguard was impressive would be an understatement. Varion rounded the corner not expecting much, and he came into sight of a massive fortress. His eyes widened and his jaw opened a little in awe. He heard Lydia gasp as well. They had walked out of Riften early that morning and headed into a place called Dayspring Canyon, and it was a remarkably beautiful place. As they approached the fort, it only got bigger and bigger. It was in relatively good condition compared to the other forts littered throughout Skyrim like Driftshade Refuge, and soon they reached the front door where a Nord stood guard. "You here to join the dawnguard?" he asked, regarding Varion and Lydia as he spoke.

"I am. Lydia's just tagging along" Varion clarified.

"Well, head on inside. Isran will decide whether you're dawnguard material, though by the look of you, I think he'll like you" the man said, and Varion wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean.

"_Is it my frown? My stature? My weapon? The bloodstains on my armour? All of the above?"_ he thought absentmindedly as he walked inside and saw who he assumed was Isran. He was quite a large redguard with a large hammer on his back and a face possibly more stern than Varions had ever been. "Are you Isran?" Varion asked.

"Here to join the dawnguard?" he asked in his gruff voice. Varion chose to take that as a yes.

"Yeah. I want to help against the vampires. I'm Varion" he replied. Isran nodded.

"It's good to know that our recruiters are getting out there. But that means it's only a matter of time before the vampires notice as well" he said. Varion raised an eyebrow. This guy was paranoid.

"The vampire attacks on the capital cities should be enough of a wakeup call" Varion said, frowning at the memory. Isran sneered.

"I knew it would come to this one day. Sadly, so many people remain blind to the threat" he lamented. He then glanced back at Varion, sizing him up. "So what's your backstory? Combat experience?" he asked with curiosity. Varion grinned a little.

"Before coming to Skyrim, I was a bounty hunter for about 7 years. I'm thane of Whiterun which I earned for my battle prowess. I'm a member of the circle of the companions I reckon I could take almost anyone in Skyrim in a fist fight, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who can match me blade to blade" Varion said, rattling off a long list of achievements and his career choices. Isran looked at him with relative interest which was honestly less of a reaction than Varion was expecting.

"Not a bad resume. Anything more to add?" Isran asked. Varion's smirk increased.

"I'm the dragonborn" he said simply, and Isran actually reacted to that a little.

"Really?" He gave a gruff chuckle. "Well, that might be the edge we need against the vampires. I'm sorry to say that I don't have much work at the moment, we're still trying to get the word out and get more numbers. My contacts aren't finding vampires until they attack, and by then it's too late" Isran explained.

"I found a vampire in Morthal living amongst the townsfolk" Varion said, and if he wasn't so stoic, the fire in Isran's eyes would've made him shake.

"And you let this bloodsucker live?" he snarled.

"I didn't feel like butchering a member of the town until I had proof that they were evil" Varion explained, trying to placate the man, yet making it clear that he wasn't going to be intimidated. Isran sighed.

"Just add that to the to-do list. If I have work for you, I'll send a letter. Good to have another strong warrior on our side" Isran said, nodding in what Varion assumed was respect. He returned the gesture.

"My pleasure. I hope to hear from you soon. Send it to Breezehome in Whiterun, or the courier will just track me down" he replied, giving a brief wave in farewell. He left the fort and Lydia followed close behind.

"So, how was it?" she questioned. Varion sighed.

"I think I've found someone about as stubborn and angry as me" he half-joked, not fully sure what to make of his new commander.

* * *

A/N:Back into the story! I took a bit of a break over Christmas, but now we're back in the new year, new decade, and new chapter!

The Dawnguard has been introduced, and I'm really looking forward to this arc for a few certain reasons. You'll see those later on, but this quest line will be quite spread out to give a more realistic feeling of time, not to mention that the companions still have their endgame and Delphine ain't gonna wait forever.

Varions starting to explore more of Skyrim now, and that expansion starts with Riften, probably one of the worst cities in the game. It's kinda a wretched hive of scum and villainy, perfect for some fun interactions with Varion at the helm!

I tried adding in another perspective again, this time of Lydia, one of Varions closest allies! Let me know what you think of it, and think of her characterisation as well!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	22. Blood and Soul 6 - Glory of the Dead

**Last time on the Legend of Varion…**

Varion went into Riften and was immediately put off the city because, let's face it, it's a pretty terrible place. He then met with Isran, leader of the Dawnguard, and now counts another organisation amongst his titles and people he works for…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The rest of the week passed quickly. Aela arrived back in the city the day before the companions were due to depart, and Varion welcomed her gladly. Vilkas and Farkas did the same, as everyone was eager to finally make the journey to Ysgramor's tomb for Kodlak. The day of departure came and Varion rose early. Lydia would be staying behind, and for once, she didn't put up a fight. "_This is a matter of honour for the companions Varion. I know that I can't go this time" _she had said, her words echoing in Varions mind as he walked to the Skyforge. "Honour". Everyone kept telling him about honour, it was key to the nordic way of life. Varion had never been one for honour and tradition, growing up outside Skyrim. He didn't follow all their customs and traditional stuff, he made his own definition of the word.

"But this isn't about me" he whispered to himself, thinking out loud. "This is for Kodlak". He climbed the steps to the Skyforge and saw Eorlund standing there, holding a marvellous looking axe. Varion ran his eyes up and down the weapon, it was a truly remarkable weapon. Eorlund noticed his gaze and chuckled.

"Aye, quite the weapon is it not? The original weapon of Ysgramor. I think you should be the one to carry it now" he said, extending his arms to offer it to Varion. The dragonborn raised an eyebrow, but accepted the weapon nonetheless.

"I'm honoured" he said sincerely, placing it on his back. He had little intention to ever use it, preferring a sword to a battleaxe, but the weight of it on his back was comforting in a strange way.

"It suits you" said a voice from behind him. Turning around, Varion saw Aela make her way to the top of the stairs, Vilkas and Farkas close behind. "Ready to go?" she asked. Varion nodded.

"Let's do this. I've got the head" he replied, holding up the bag containing the disgusting item. He wasn't exactly sure how it would work, but he was going to figure it out, whatever it took.

"Well then, that settles it. We ride for Ysgramor's tomb," Vilkas said solemnly. Varion couldn't blame him for his mood. Vilkas hadn't been in a right state of mind since Driftshade. It was clear that the slaughter had weighed heavily upon him and his heart was heavy. Varion understood and sympathised with this, though the back of his mind did worry as to just how much harder Vilkas took it than himself, seeing as he'd been fine after about a day.

"For Kodlak!" Farkas announced and turned and walked back down the stairs. Varion made to follow after him and Vilkas, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He glanced back at Aela who was looking at him with concern.

"Something wrong?" he asked curiously.

"How are you feeling?" she asked gently. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"I'm fine. Why?" It wasn't that he didn't appreciate her concern, but this was coming out of nowhere. They hadn't seen each other in about 5 days and she immediately assumes something is wrong? Her gaze flicked away from his before regaining eye contact.

"Varion. Something has been bothering me. About you" she said, almost sounding hesitant. Varion tilted his head.

"Well, thanks" he said sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood. Aela rolled her eyes.

"That's not what I meant. After this is all over, I'd like to talk with you. Please" she requested, again with unusual gentleness. Varion placed his hand on hers as she'd yet to remove it from his shoulder.

"Sure, if you want" he said nonchalantly. He wasn't feigning ignorance, he literally had no idea what she wanted to talk about. "Now, enough about me. Let's go" he demanded, moving off to catch up with the brothers at a jogging pace. Aela quickly caught up and they ran in silence down to the stables where the brothers were waiting for them. Quickly mounting his horse, Varion sighed. "_I was really hoping to get a break from riding horses"_ he groaned internally.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The tomb of Ysgramor wasn't particularly impressive, but then again, most nordic ruins aren't at first sight. They had spent an entire day riding there, only stopping to rest the horses. Thankfully, the weather had remained clear as if the sky goddess herself approved of their task, and thanks to their beast blood, the circle was able to keep up with Varions energy levels. "Well, this is it," Farkas announced, voicing everyone's thoughts. Varion nodded, and pushed the doors open. What greeted them was a small room with burial urns littered around the place and an imposing statue in the middle of it. It was of a warrior, carved with great detail from stone and it stood at least two feet taller than Varion. Despite his nature, Varion walked up to the statue and stopping in front of it, gave a small bow to the figure. The other companions all did the same.

"Ysgramor. Leader of the 500 Companions" Varion said quietly. The others were quiet. Being inside this place felt strange, unlike any nordic ruin that Varion had been in before. It had a special kind of energy, one that felt more familiar. "It's time you took back what is yours" Varion added before pulling Wuuthrad off his back. Carefully, he placed the weapon in the statues hands and the second he did, a rumbling noise sounded. Glancing behind the statue, he saw a doorway open up, revealing a passageway leading further into the ruin.

"Well, the way is clear. The axe worked" Aela said, excited that they'd actually succeeded. Varion nodded in agreement.

"I wasn't looking forward to shouting open the doors if it didn't" he admitted in what was only half a joke. Farkas and Aela both moved past the statue and drew their weapons, slowly making their way into the ruin. Varion went to follow them, but was once again stopped by a hand on his shoulder. "_Can people just get my attention by speaking? What's with all the shoulder touching" _he thought with childish frustration before looking at Vilkas, the shoulder toucher in question.

"Varion. I'm sorry" Vilkas apologised. The dragonborn looked at him curiously, implying that he wanted him to continue. "From the moment you came into our hall, I've been less than welcoming. I was wrong that day. You are a true warrior" he said and Varion nodded slowly.

"My thanks, but why all this now?" he asked, wanting Vilkas to get to the point. Couldn't this wait until after they'd freed Kodlak?

"I can't go into that tomb" Vilkas finally said, shoulders slumping as he did. Varion sighed. "My grief, over the last few days, has clouded my judgement. What we did at Driftshade, I don't regret it, but my heart is heavy from the blood we spilled, the anger I felt. You've felt it, the energy in this tomb. I won't feel right to enter while my heart is weighed down" he explained, his tone laced with shame and regret. Varion clasped his shoulder.

"You've nothing to apologise for. Rest. We'll free Kodlak" he said reassuringly. He was in no position to judge Vilkas, and even if he was, he wouldn't. He understood the mans conflict all too well. Vilkas gave him a grateful smile and with that, Varion turned and followed his friends. The journey through the tomb wasn't easy, because as Varion had learned during his time in Skyrim, nothing was ever easy. Instead of Draugr, Varion and his companions were attacked by ghostly apparitions who Aela theorised were the spirits of Ysgramor's trusted generals. "_If anything, their skill would confirm that theory"_ Varion thought with frustration. The draugr were easy to battle, their clumsy swings something that a child could avoid. These warriors were trained and knew what they were doing, the living companions actually had to try to defeat these ghosts.

"It's a shame Vilkas wouldn't come with us" Aela noted as she slit the throat of a ghost, watching it fade away as she did. "He'd have known far more about these than us" she explained as she parried a war axe swing with her shield.

"All I want to know is how to kill them" Farkas grunted as he cleaved a ghost in half. Despite being ethereal in appearance, they still somehow had physical mass and weight, and they died the same way a mortal would.

"Not sure if this counts as killing them. They're already dead" Varion snarked, parrying a ghostly greatsword with his own Blade of Whiterun. The blood was gone from it and it shone orange with the glow of the enchantment which Varion was glad for. It was a representation of Varion, Thane of Whiterun, the hero, and that was someone Varion aspired to remain every time he wielded the blade. If he ever went on another quest for revenge, he'd use a different sword.

"Good to see you're not losing your sense of humour" Aela retorted sarcastically as she finished off her enemy, to which Varion simply chuckled before doing the same. Surprisingly, the ghostly opponents didn't seem like they were fighting at full force. Instead of fighting to kill, it seemed like they were fighting to test the strength of the living.

"_Makes sense. Companions don't kill companions"_ Varion thought absentmindedly. He delivered a devastating kick to the stomach of the final ghost in the room before plunging his sword directly into its face. It disappeared around his blade and he breathed heavily, sheathing the sword.

"This is tougher than expected" Farkas grunted, stretching as he did.

"Aye. These ghosts aren't the usual pushovers we find in ruins" Varion replied, casually examining a quiver with arrows that was left lying next to a coffin. They were of ancient nordic make, somehow still in useable condition after so many years. Shaking his head, he dropped them. He was hardly a bow man. Their journey continued through the tomb as per usual, striking down every ghost in their path. However, they eventually came to a doorway with webbing covering it and Varion growled in frustration. "Damn spiders. Of course we have to fight spiders" he complained, burning away the webbing with a basic fire spell. Aela rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but Farkas looked uneasy. Aela walked in first to scout out ahead, but Farkas went to get Varions attention. Before he could rest a hand on the man's shoulder, Varion spun around first. "If you want my attention, ask. You don't have to touch me" he said. In actuality, he had a reason beyond mere annoyance for this. He worried that someday someone would touch him by surprise and on instinct, he'd counterattack. He was hoping to avoid that by making the ground rules as soon as possible. Farkas nodded, but his expression was a sheepish one.

"I can't go on Varion" he said with shame.

"What? Why not?"

"Ever since Dustman's Cairn, the big spiders, they've been too much for me," he said, not meeting Varions eyes. "I can fight anything else, just not those. I'll just get in the way. Everyone has their weakness. This is mine" he said softly. Varion groaned internally, but made no sound.

"It's alright. Aela and I can finish this. Go back to Vilkas" he commanded more gently than he felt. Farkas finally met his eyes and nodded thankfully.

"Give the old man my regards" he said solemnly before turning and walking away. Varion turned and followed after Aela. When he caught up without Farkas, surprisingly, she said nothing. He could only assume she knew about Farkas' fear. They made it through the spider infested cave with annoyance, but no major trouble. Thanks to their beast blood, poison of the wild no longer affected them as much and their strength was more than enough to match the smaller spiders. When a larger spider came down from the ceiling, Varions voice simply set it aflame. Before long, they made it out of the cave, cleaning the spiderwebs off their blades with disdain.

"I can understand why Farkas hates those things" Varion commented absentmindedly. Aela scoffed.

"When you're the companions resident beast hunter, you get used to these kind of things" Aela replied with a jovial tone. Varion gave her a small smile. In this deep, solemn moment, it was good to have someone like her with him.

"Are you ready to keep going?" he asked. Surprisingly, Aela's expression became uncertain, but only for a moment.

"Yes. I'm ready. For Kodlak" she said, more reassuring herself than him. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she nodded, giving him the confirmation he was looking for. Sheathing his sword once again, Varion walked towards the next set of doors, ready to finish what he'd started.

**X-X-X-X-X**

After fighting through more waves of ghosts and even a few booby traps, the pair finally made it to the centre of the tomb through large nordic double doors. The inner sanctum to Ysgramor's tomb was not as flashy, as Varion would've expected for such a massive legend. Or perhaps this was what the ancient nords considered as flashy? Varion gazed around the room, taking in the architecture. It had carvings on it like a hall of stories, reflecting the battles of Ysgramor, though they weren't as numerous as the ones he'd seen before. They slowly descended the stairs leading to the centre of the chamber, still cautious for any further trials. Varions grip on his sword tightened as he saw another spirit form at the end of the middle part of the room, next to a strange pedastal with a glowing blue flame. As he got closer, the spirits features became recognisable. The hair, the beard and the kind expression of it's ethereal eyes. He heard Aela's breath hitch and he himself was stunned. His arm lowered to by his side. "Kodlak" he said softly, not quite willing to believe what he was seeing.  
"It's good to see you again my friends" Spirit Kodlak greeted, nodding to the pair in turn. "I only wish it was under better circumstances" he added in jest. Varion moved closer, sheathing his sword as he did.

"Kodlak, I…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say. The old man simply nodded, never losing that familiar knowing expression.

"I knew the companions would come here. My fellow harbingers and I have been waiting for you" he said. Aela moved to stand next to Varion and he could've sworn that her eyes were shining.

"There's only you here?" she asked curiously. "What fellow harbingers?" Kodlak nodded.

"You only see me because your heart only knows me as harbinger. However, old Vignar could probably see half a dozen of my predecessors" he noted. Varion mentally wondered how damn old the cranky Grey-Mane was, but that wasn't important. "And they all see you" Kodlak continued with pride. "The ones in Sovngarde, the ones who are trapped in Hircine's realm with me, all of them watch you Vairon. You who have conducted yourself with great honour and made the journey here that hasn't been made in centuries. Only a true companion could make it this far" he praised and Varion couldn't meet his eyes. He turned to Aela. "You have done well too Aela. I'm proud of you. You've come so far since you were young" he added in a fatherly tone.

"Kodlak, how do we save you?" Varion asked.

"You have the witch's head?" he asked in turn. Varion held up the bag with the disgusting item still inside. "Then cast it into the fire. That will release the witches magic, for me at the very least" the old/dead man/spirit commanded. Varion did so, and as he did, the fire changed colour, becoming an almost angry red instead of the comforting blue it had been before. Kodlak fell to his knees. As he did, a large orange ethereal wolf burst out of his ethereal form and charged at Varion. Stunned, he didn't react in time, but Aela did, delivering a kick that sent the wolf staggering to the side. Evidently, like most ghosts they'd fought, this one could touch and be touched. By extension, it could kill or be killed. Varion and Aela moved slowly as they and the wolf circled the room, never looking anywhere but at the enemy.

"That's a big wolf" she commented absentmindedly. Varion readied his sword.

"A wolf is a wolf" he replied simply. They engaged it in battle and while the creature was strong, it was still just a wolf. Varion dodged it's forward bite and thrust his sword into its neck while Aela slid across the floor and stabbed her dagger into its stomach. Despite these normally lethal wounds, the wolf continued to thrash around, clearly not done. Growling in irritation, Varion lept backwards, watching Aela get to her feet and do the same. The wolf still limped towards them, eager to go on in spite of its injuries and Varion sighed. "Will you do the honours?"

"My pleasure" Aela replied as she let an arrow fly. It embedded itself in the wolfs ethereal skull and the beast gave off a defeated howl before collapsing. It faded, and as it did, Kodlak stood back up.

"Kodlak. We destroyed the spirit of the wolf in you" Varion called out, walking back over to the old man. He sighed.

"I feel it lad. I feel like myself for the first time in too long. Thank you both" he said, sounding truly at ease. "The other harbingers remain trapped in Hircine's realm though" he added mournfully.

"What can be done for them?" Varion asked. He didn't exactly know who they were or if these spirits deserved his help, but if it was Kodlak's desire, he'd help. Surprisingly, the spirit shook his head.

"No, your place is here for now. But perhaps the heroes of Sovngarde can one day aid me in their rescue" Kodlak answered wistfully. "The harrowing of the hunting grounds. What a tale that would be" he said, sounding younger and more excited than Varion had ever heard him.

"Harbinger, I-" Aela began, but Kodlak raised a hand to silence her.

"I am no longer your harbinger, Aela. You may use that title in regards to Varion now" he said, gesturing to the nord in question. Despite already knowing about it, Varion still felt shocked and mostly unworthy. She glanced over at him, surprise on her face, but she didn't seem disappointed.

"Kodlak" Aela said, repeating her earlier attempt to start conversation. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the silver hand. I-" Once again Kodlak cut her off.

"Enough Aela. You owe no apology. It was simply the way things turned out" the old man reassured her, putting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She nodded, blinking away the tears that had built up. Kodlak then turned to Varion.

"Kodlak. I wish we had more time. I've got so much more left to ask, to learn" Varion said, speaking his regrets. Seeing as it was the last time he'd probably see Kodlak, he figured nothing should go unspoken.

"I know boy, I know" Kodlak sighed. "I wish I could've helped you further. But what was it you told me, about carving your own path?" Varion remembered back to when he'd discussed with Kodlak why he'd wanted to join the companions, a conversation which seemed ages in the past. "I've no doubt the road your life will take is going to be a grand one. But I cannot be a part of it anymore" Kodlak said softly, regret in his tone. Varion nodded firmly, trying to fully accept the reality in front of him. "Lead the companions to glory Varion. I hope some day that you find the peace you seek". With those words, Kodlak's spirit vanished, leaving Varion and Aela staring at the spot he stood.

"Goodbye old man" Varion muttered. Aela was silent and they remained that way for a while.

"So, 'harbinger', what next?" Aela asked, a teasing tone in her voice that Varion had missed. Despite this, he groaned in annoyance.

"It's Varion. I don't like being called by titles" he sighed, and Aela just sniggered at this. "I think it's time we had back home. I've missed my house" he admitted. Aela simply nodded, but they made no quick effort to leave. They wandered around the place taking in the architecture and retrieving a few treasures here and there. Most interesting was a shield that Aela theorised to be the shield of Ysgramor. At Varions insistence, she took it, leaving her old steel shield there in place of it.

"Will we return here one day?" she asked curiously. Varion shrugged.

"I know Vilkas wants to be cured. Farkas too. I take it you don't?" Aela shook her head.

"I'm at peace with the fate that awaits me after death. I don't see the blood as a curse, and I want to see Skjor again" she explained. Varion nodded, accepting her choice.

"_Guess I was right about her and Skjor"_ he thought to himself, though the thought was oddly bitter. That surprised him, he didn't think he had it in him to be… jealous? Maybe that wasn't the right term.

"What about you? What will you do about the blood?" Aela asked, snapping Varion out of his thoughts of Skjor and putting him into a new intense thought session.

"I don't know" he answered unsurely. "I've never really lived this life worrying about the next. But even if I take that into account, I don't know if I'd prefer the mead halls of Sovngarde to the endless fight of Hircine's realm" he explained, his dragon nature coming to mind as he spoke those words. Admittedly, his Dov nature hadn't reared it's figurative head since the slaughter at Driftshade. While he was happy to not have to deal with it, he was also worried about dealing with it again.

"Well, whatever you choose to do, I'll always respect you Varion" Aela said softly. Varion met her gaze. It was kind. Despite her clear love of the hunt, skill in battle and ferocity, she'd shown him a far gentler side of herself ever since that dragon hunt, and he'd come to treasure it. He wasn't exactly sure what he'd done to earn such trust for her to be this nice, but he promised to never break it.

"Thank you Aela" he said sincerely, placing a hand on her shoulder just like Kodlak had done, though the connection between her and the old man was far, far different to the one they shared now. "What did you want to talk with me about?" he asked. Surprisingly, she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Later" she said simply, walking off towards the exit. Varion shrugged in mild exasperation, then followed along. After a moderately short walk (they'd found another damn easy exit door) they met back up with Vilkas and Farkas at the tombs entrance. The twins were happy to hear about Kodlak being freed and they were equally accepting of Varion as the new harbinger, with handshakes and congratulations all around. Varion walked up to Ysgramor's statue and pulled the axe from his hands, placing it back on his back.

"I think the companions should look after this," he explained, not that the companions were complaining anyways. With all their business in the tomb concluded, Varion gave a nod to Ysgramor's statue and walked out of the ruin, the circle at his back. As they rowed back to land, Varion took the time to consider how damn crazy his life had turned in such a short time. He was dragonborn, Harbinger, a werewolf and a vampire hunter. That was a long way from the bounty hunter he'd been before he came to Skyrim. It was a lot to take in, plus the issues of his inner dragon nature and the threat it posed. Also, apparently his massive vague destiny that everyone kept telling him about. That was a lot to deal with for someone in their early 20's.

"Something on your mind?" Aela asked again. Varion turned to her and gave a small smile.

"No. Everything's fine for once" he replied cheerily. It was only partially a lie. He had a lot to deal with in the future, but he'd do so with friends by his side. Aela, Lydia, Faendal, the circle, they were all there for him, and in the back of his mind, he felt as if someone was watching over him. Perhaps it was just the high of becoming Harbinger and freeing Kodlak, but Varion relaxed, allowing himself to remember his father. Perhaps the two men who had changed his life would meet in Sovngarde, and hopefully they'd be proud of how far Varion had come. His smile only grew at the thought, though no-one commented on it.

"_I'll make you proud Kodlak, and you too, old man"_.

* * *

A/N:WE DID IT! WE COMPLETED THE COMPANIONS QUESTLINE! With that, the first overarching story of The Legend of Varion has been completed! You can consider this the end of Vol 1 or season 1, if you were to divide it like that. I really want to thank everyone who's taken the time to read, like and review this, I didn't expect this story to get nearly as much appreciation as it has, and I'm very grateful.

Rest assured, this story is far from done! We've still got many, many more adventures to go through with Varion and his friends and I'm really excited to see how much further it goes! The further we get, the closer we get to my original arcs and the more fun interactions I have planned! Leave your thoughts in the reviews, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for watching, see you all next time!

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**Next time on the Legend of Varion…**

As Varion walked down the path to Breezehome, his eyes narrowed as he saw a piece of paper on his door, stuck there by a dagger. As he got closer, he removed the weapon and read it, groaning as he did. It simply read "I've got a plan", but Varion knew exactly what this was. "Guess you were bound to figure it out eventually Delphine" he muttered, already preparing for the next big adventure in his life...


	23. Doom on the Horizon 1 - Cloak and Dagger

**Previously on the Legend of Varion…**

Varion freed the spirit of Kodlak Whitemane from his beast blood, letting his soul go to Sovngarde. He was also named Harbinger of the Companions, and with this new title, he and his friends return to Whiterun, hoping for some peace. However, Varion's adventures are far from winding down…

**Now, back to the story, in Season 2 of the Legend of Varion!**

* * *

"So, Harbinger of the Companions huh? You've been busy" Delphine commented as Varion took a seat in her underground basement. He gave a humourless chuckle in response.

"Since we killed that dragon, I've become a werewolf, become Harbinger of the Companions and lost two good friends. Keeping busy is an understatement" he replied, sadness dripping into his tone as he mentioned Kodlak. Delphine gave him a sympathetic look.

"I was at the funeral" she said softly. "I'm sorry for your loss". At his surprised glance, Delphine chuckled. "I think we've made it aware that I can avoid standing out if I want to," she explained. Varion sighed and nodded before cracking his knuckles.

"You didn't call me here for small talk. What's the plan?" he asked, eager to get started. He'd found her note on his door about 5 hours ago and had immediately set off for Riverwood, telling Lydia and Aela where he'd gone. He'd already discussed with the companions that he'd be gone for potentially long periods at a time, so they'd be in charge of the day to day stuff until he got back. Really, it wouldn't be much different from when Kodlak was in charge. Delphine laughed at his words, causing him to frown a little.

"Sorry" she started. "I'm just happy to see you're excited," she continued. Varion grinned darkly.

"Anything that involves taking the thalmor down, I'll be up for it," he explained. She nodded, smirking as she did.

"Well, you'll have to hide that attitude for a while. You're going to a thalmor party" she said, and Varion's expression changed faster than one might have thought possible.

"I'm… what?" he managed to ask, overcoming his surprise at her answer.

"The thalmor holds parties where the rich and connected suck up to them. We're getting you into that party so you can slip out and look around the embassy for evidence" she explained and Varion frowned.

"I'm no nobleman. How am I getting in there?" he asked. Delphine smirked again, and he found it surprisingly annoying.

"I've already gotten you an invitation. The thane of Whiterun should be a welcome guest at the party" she said, handing him an envelope with his invitation inside. He pocketed it with distaste, the thought of being around those stuck up elven bastards was enough to make his blood boil. Being forced to interact civilly? Oh Talos preserve his sanity.

"Well, what now? I just make my way to Solitude?" he asked. Delphine shook her head.

"No, there's another step. The party is in a week, that gives us a bit of time. I've got a contact in the embassy called Malborn, hates the Thalmor almost as much as you and I. He'll smuggle in some gear for you" she explained. Varion frowned.

"I take it I won't be bringing anything inside myself," he sighed.

"Nope. Thalmor security is extremely paranoid. Besides the voice, magic and your muscles, you'll be defenceless without Malborns help. Meet with him, get your gear smuggled in and we'll meet up at the solitude stables. He'll be in the winking skeever inn" she finished, and Varion rolled his wrist absentmindedly as he glanced around the room, and his eyes narrowed at seeing something on the wall.

"I've got a favour to ask," he said. At Delphines raised eyebrow, he continued. "I need a weapon to take with me in there, and my Blade of Whiterun won't do. Not only is it a massive greatsword, but it's got Whiteruns symbol engraved on it". As he spoke, he drew it off his back and set it on Delphines table, pointing to the symbol. "If the thalmor saw that, they'd want retribution" he said, voicing his worries. Delphine nodded understandingly.

"So you'll need a different weapon. But why are you telling me this?" she asked in confusion. Vairon could understand this, she was no blacksmith. However, the grin that came over his face made it clear that he did have a reason for telling her.

"Well, I have my eye on a certain one" he continued, and pointed to a weapon on the wall. It was a steel blade, but unlike most that Varion had ever seen. It was curved and only appeared sharp on one side. It was truly unique, he'd never seen anything like it, and he wanted it. "If there's no objections, I'll be taking that" he declared.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Dressed in uncomfortable noble finery, Varion climbed out of the cart, gazing with distaste at the Thalmor embassy. He'd had his meeting with Malborn where he'd instructed the Bosmer to hide his gauntlets for punching strength, a few potions just in case and his newly acquired sword inside. Delphine had been more than happy to give it to him, seeing as it was the weapon of a blade and it would be retribution for all the blades that died at the hands of the thalmor. Varion didn't really care about all that, he just liked the way it looked. Of course, it was now resting in a kitchen closet or something until he could get to it, so he just walked up the path to the embassy and tried his best to look like a rich snob. On his way, he saw a man sitting on a rock, just gazing wistfully at the view. "Hey there!" the man called out, half slurred.

"_Oh great. A drunk"_ he thought to himself, really not looking forward to this party. "Here for the party?" he asked, thinking that he should at least be polite.

"Oh yeah, just relaxing out here for a bit before going in. I like the carriage, you my friend, have style!" the man commented. Refraining from rolling his eyes, Varion simply grunted in thanks. The man, Razelan, continued to ramble on about everything and nothing, which of course Varion listened to none of it. From the brief snippets he couldn't block out, he learnt that Razelan wasn't a big fan of the Thalmor, he was a high up at the east empire company and he liked to be drunk a lot, though he could've figured that out alone. Brushing this off, he saw the elven guards wait at the top of the stairs and he approached them, doing his best to remain relaxed.

"Welcome sir. Invitation please?" the guard asked politely, though Varion knew it was an act. The tone of voice may have been friendly, the look in the man's eyes was not. Varion wordlessly handed over the paper, then allowed the guard to frisk him for weapons. "Everything seems to be in order. Go on inside" the guard said, Varion nodding in response. Razelan was behind him, still running his mouth and Varion took this chance to be free, getting inside. However, within seconds of entering, another thalmor came up to him. The extra finery on her robes and the unbearable arrogance with which she carried herself implied that she was someone important.

"_Elenwen?"_ he theorised, trying to remember what names Delphine had told him, Thalmor to look out for.

"Ah, welcome to the embassy. I don't believe we've met before?" she asked in the exact same way as the guard outside had spoken, only her act was a little more believable. Varion still didn't buy it.

"I'm Varion. Thane of Whiterun. Nice to meet you" he said, keeping his tone carefully pleasant. No doubt Elenwen saw through it, part of being a politician was lying through your teeth. However, she would only see him as another party goer, she'd no reason to suspect his actual plans here.

"Good to meet you as well. I am Elenwen, Ambassador of the Aldmeri Dominion. Tell me, what brings you to this-" her face wrinkled in disgust before she caught herself and smiled again. "To Skyrim?" she asked, correcting her mistake. Thankfully, before things could get awkward, a familiar voice called out and got her attention. It was Malborn working bartender, and it was quite the remarkable change. The man Varion had spoken to back in Solitude was a paranoid mess. Here, he practically radiated confidence. He nodded to Varion who returned the gesture, and the dragonborn began wandering around, trying to mingle, despite his complete lack of experience in doing so. Aside from the celebrations of the companions, he'd never been to a party, and certainly not one like this. He looked around and saw several nobles, perhaps a Jarl or two and far too many guards for his liking. As he took a seat after about 5 minutes had passed, he heard a voice from behind him, his wolf senses letting him hear it clear as day.

"-see that brute of a nord? How did a ruffian like that become a thane? It shames me to share a title with that fool" The speaker was male, the voice was slurred and Varion was greatly annoyed. He glanced over at the speaker, a blonde overweight man talking to an older woman with black hair and ugly robes.

"I earned that title for my prowess in battle" Varion answered, walking over to the man who flinched at his presence.

"Hmph. So a barbarian. Becoming a thane should be a result of wealth and influence, not because you can swing a sword" the man replied egotistically, and Varions fist clenched. Surely starting a fight at the party would be sufficient enough of a distraction? But then again, every time he fought, he had his weapons on hand in case things went too far. Here, he had nothing.

"You want a taste?" the Dragonborn growled back, and the fat thane actually shrank back. However, the woman simply shook her head in frustration.

"Now now Erikur, play nice" she chided, arrogance seeping from her tone so much that Varion would've assumed she was a Thalmor. Erikur grumbled before moving off, mumbling something about a 'smoking hot serving girl'. Varion regarded the woman and she did the same, the pair of them frowning at the other.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Varion" he said carefully, breaking the silence. He didn't offer a handshake, and he didn't expect that the woman would've returned it anyway.

"Maven Blackbriar. Watch your behaviour around those above you. Wouldn't want anything unpleasant to happen" she said before leaving, a thinly veiled threat. Varion clenched his fist tighter, but kept his face carefully neutral. Deciding enough was enough, he made his way over to Malborn and ordered a glass of whatever.

"_Not like I'll drink it anyway"_ he thought to himself. As Malborn poured him a glass, his voice dropped to a whisper.

"You ready to slip out?" At Varions nod of agreement, he continued. "You'll need to cause a distraction, get the guards attention. Once that's done, we can slip out" he explained and Varion glanced around the room. Starting a fight once again appealed to him, he wouldn't regret beating a single one of these people up. However, he then caught sight of a familiar drunk and smirked.

"One distraction coming up" he muttered before moving over to Razelan who was sitting there sulking. "Not having a good time?" he asked casually, sitting down beside him. Razelan groaned.

"Elenwen said that I need to 'dry out' before I can have another drink. Only reason I come here is to get drunk anyway" he moaned and Varion got an idea at this.

"I have a favour to ask. I'll give you this if you help" he offered, showing Razelan the glass of brandy. The man's face lit up.

"I'll do anything my friend!" he said gladly, taking the glass and drinking a large portion of the alcohol within moments. Blinking, Varion continued on.

"I need you to cause a distraction. Get everyone's attention for a few minutes" he requested and Razelan smirked.

"Oh my friend, you can count on me," he said, brimming with half drunk, half genuine confidence. As he stood up and walked to the centre of the room, Varion quickly made his way to Malborn and the pair ducked into the back room. In the back of his mind, Varion hoped Razelan would be alright. After all, he had been the only person at the party to not look down on him like an arrogant bastard.

"Alright, your gear is in here" Malborn said quickly, gesturing to some sort of food storage room. Varion reached into the chest the bosmer pointed at and retrieved his equipment, donning his gauntlets and attaching his sheath to his belt.

"Right, I'm ready" Varion announced, more confident sounding than he felt.

"Good luck. Make this count!" Malborn hissed as Varion walked out the back door of the kitchen, deeper into the embassy. He heard the latch click behind him and just like that, he was alone in enemy territory.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Fighting an entire embassary worth of guards would be suicide, and yet Varion would've almost preferred that to the stealth he was currently resigining himself to. Gripping the hilt of his sword, he drew it and began moving as quietly as he could. Despite his size and straightforward nature, he was somewhat capable at sneaking. As a hunter and bounty hunter, you tend to pick up these things, plus his wolf senses let him hear and see people coming ahead of time. He crept down the hallway and heard a conversation coming from a room on the left. He shrugged, as good a place as any to start. He slowly opened the door, but remained behind it, so it looked like the door had opened all by itself.

"What was that?" one of the thalmor asked.

"Go and investigate. Doors don't open by themselves" another one commanded and Varion heard the footsteps of a high elf headed his way. The man stuck his head out, looking around for the intruder. What he didn't expect was for Varion to grab him by the throat and pull him behind the door, leaving him barely enough time for a muffled shriek before his neck was snapped. The other two guards got to their feet and made quickly for the door, but they didn't get through it before Varion slammed the door shut, sandwiching the first guard between the door and the doorframe. He ran the guard through with his sword, killing him instantly before turning his attention to the remaining one who was appearingly stunned. They had all been dressed in robes, clearly not expecting an attack. They didn't even carry a weapon, Varion could see their gear lying against a wall. He growled and punched the last high elf in the face, knocking them off their feet. He snapped this one's neck as well, preferring to keep it clean. He dragged the bodies inside the room and shoved them all in a corner, though not before checking them for valuables or information on the dragons. Finding nothing besides a few expensive rings, he moved on. His hunt through the building was annoyingly uneventful. Apparently most of the guards were elsewhere seeing as he only had to kill one more person during his search.

"_I'd been hoping for a little more bloodshed"_ he complained internally. Normally the thoughts would've disturbed him, but this was Thalmor. He didn't give a damn. Finding nothing, he made his way back downstairs from the upper floor he'd travelled to and walked out the door into a courtyard, though he immediately ducked back inside. "Ok, that's a lot of guards" he muttered. There were at least 5 patrolling men and women outside, and he didn't fancy taking them on in a straight up fight, not like this. Thinking about his options, he then came up with what he hoped was a good idea. He glanced outside again. It was nighttime and the moon was casting a pretty glow over the place. "_Let's hope they don't notice one more glowing thing"_ he prayed, then shouted as quietly as he could. "Feim". As the words were spoken, the feeling of being ethereal came over him again. He'd practiced shouting quietly, though found that of all the ones he knew so far, only Feim really worked at a lower volume. "_I guess speaking with enough force to shatter dragon bones isn't really a quiet power"_ he thought with a humourless chuckle. He slowly opened the door and saw the building on the other side of the courtyard. "WULD!" he shouted as quietly as possible and he was catapulted across the courtyard right in front of the doors. Thanks to his ethereal form, his movement made no noise and he hoped that all the Thalmor saw was a strange blue glow for a moment before it disappeared. He didn't hear any alarm bells sounding, so he assumed his plan had worked tolerably. He slowly walked inside the new building, willing his ethereal state to disperse. He heard voices mumbling, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. However, the ominous looking trapdoor that was just there in the corner of the room was something he could definitely make out, and something he was very interested in. He made a note to come back to that, but first he made his way slowly upstairs. He heard more of the conversation as he did, making out words like "results". "Impatient". "Failure".

"You waste resources on torturing this prisoner, especially as he has still not given us satisfactory answers!" one voice said in quite a heated tone.

"These methods have worked before. We can break him like the others" another voice replied, trying to placate the first speaker. However, after hearing that exchange, Varion decided he was done being sneaky. He ran the rest of the steps three at a time and burst into the room where the conversation was taking place. The speakers gasped in shock at his sudden entrance, but Varion wasted little time. He quickly grabbed the man closet to him by the hair and threw him to the floor before grabbing the elf, Rulindil (based on what he'd heard), and slamming his head into the table. He then swung his blade and chopped the bastards head clean in half before decapitating the other man in one swift motion. Despite himself, Varion chuckled.

"I'm pretty good" he said to himself, patting himself on the back figuratively. He reckoned he deserved a bit of praise for all his sneaking around, he was sick of it. He made his way over to a chest that was in the corner of the study that he'd broken into and opened it, eyebrows raising at the sight of some books and a letter. He quickly skimmed through them. They appeared to be information dossiers, one being about Delphine. He chuckled as he read, clearly the Thalmor were just as hating of her as she was of them, and she'd butchered all attempts to kill her. "_Maybe she's not so bad"_ Varion thought to himself, satisfied with what he'd read about her. He then saw one with Ulfric Stormcloak written on it. He couldn't stop himself from reading that one too, and what he read made his jaw drop. He'd never been a stormcloak supporter, but this was a whole different level of messed up. "_Ulfric's a Thalmor asset?"_ he thought to himself, stunned. If what he was reading was right, the Thalmor had been in contact with the Jarl, though it didn't say to what extent. Varion quickly overcame this though, irritated at how easily he'd been distracted. Ulfric wasn't his concern for now, he was here for the dragons. Glancing over the letter, his stomach sank. "_And just like that, Delphine, you are the worst"_ he thought with irritation. The damn Thalmor knew nothing about the dragons, they were probably just as lost as he was. Carefully preventing himself from clenching his fists in anger, he pocketed all three things from the chest and made his way downstairs, but not before stealing the jewelry off the corpses he left in the office. He approached the trapdoor and with a sharp kick, broke straight through it. He climbed down the ladder and dropped to the ground, gazing around for enemies. He was on an upper level and on the lower level was a hallway with cells on either side. Grimacing, Varion figured out where he was. "_The prisons. Oh boy"_ he groaned internally. He made his way to the rail of the balcony and saw a thalmor guard walking out of a cell, not bothering to close it behind him.

"Perhaps when the interrogator returns, you will be more agreeable!" the elf shouted in frustration and Varion frowned at this. He knew he had to get into that cell, but first he had to kill this bastard. He sat up there and waited, hoping that the guard would get closer and not look up. Thankfully, the guard did just that, walking over to a table that was practically directly below Varion that had a bottle of wine on it. Varion watched as the guard took a swig of the liquid and smirked. "I always knew alcohol was bad for you" he muttered to himself as he vaulted over the railing. If the guard had heard him coming, he certainly hadn't done so in time to dodge. Varion crashed into the man and knocked him onto the ground with a sickening crunch. Feeling for a pulse, Varion knew the elf was dead. He had just been landed on by a 6'4 nord while being simultaneously punched with orcish gauntlets. He got off of the corpse and made his way over to the cells. What he saw sickened him, even with all he'd seen and experienced. There were bloodstains, vomit stains, several other kinds of stains all over the place. Various torture instruments lay around the cells and tables, also covered in blood. The skeletons in the cells were human, and Varion could guess exactly what people they were in life, nords.

"They're torturing us" Varion growled in sheer fury. He had always hated the thalmor, but this was enough to make him consider shouting down the doors to the emissary. However, he turned back to the cell that actually had an alive person in it. As he walked inside, the man flinched away. He was shirtless, injured, terrified and cuffed to a wall via shackles.

"No, please! No more!" he cried, trying to get away from Varion, though he hadn't even looked at him. Varion sighed.

"I'm not a Thalmor. I'm getting you out of here" he stated, trying to calm the man. This apparently made him curious enough to glance at Varion and he relaxed considerably.

"Oh thank the gods. I thought I'd die here" the man practically sobbed. Varion released his restraints and caught the breton as he fell before helping him stand.

"Here, take this" Varion instructed, giving the man a healing potion. "Who are you?" he questioned.

"My names Etienne" the man answered, before downing the potion like a drunk drinking alcohol. "You?" Varion shook his head.

"Not important. Why are you here? You aren't a nord" Varion noted. This man didn't seem like a stormcloak.

"They were convinced I knew about some old guy called Esbern. I think he's in Riften, but that wasn't good enough for them" he explained, wincing as he did. Varion growled.

"Right. That's something. Did they document your confession somewhere?"

"Yeah, in a notebook. They wrote at that table" he replied, pointing over to the table closest to Etienne's cell. Varion walked over to it and opened the chest that was right next to it. It contained another information dossier, this one on Esbern. He grinned, maybe this whole venture wasn't pointless.

"Thanks. Now we need to go" he commanded, and Etienne was only too happy to agree.

"Come on, I've seen them use this trapdoor to dispose of bodies. It must go somewhere" he urged, moving towards it as quickly as he could. He'd grabbed an iron dagger from the table, so at least he had armour. However, as they began to open the trapdoor, a voice rang out from the balcony.

"Halt scum!" Varions heart sank. He glanced at the balcony and saw three thalmor guards, fully armoured, and Malborn was with them. "You will surrender now and come with us!" the guard commanded. Varion laughed humourlessly.

"Yeah, as if! You bastards have hurt enough people, you won't get me!" he shouted in defiance, figuring that stealth was pretty much useless now. However, Malborn didn't seem eager to die either, as he thrust his elbow into the face of the shouty guard.

"GO!" he shouted as he jumped over the balcony, landing on the ground at the other end of the hall from Varion. He stumbled when he landed and Varion swore internally. He wasn't about to let Malborn die like this, not because of him.

"WULD!" He crossed the distance in an instant, grabbing Malborn around the waist and lifting him up. "WULD!" He shouted a second time, crossing back to the trapdoor. A slight burn on his throat was nothing compared to the pain he felt when he overshot the charge and crashed into the wall. He'd taken the full force of the impact, shielding Malborn with his body. His vision was blurry, but he could still move.

"Come on! Let's go!" Etienne shouted as he and Malborn jumped into the trapdoor. Varion sent one last glare towards the Thalmor guards who had started drawing arrows to fire. By the time they'd done that, Varion was already gone.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion breathed heavily when they made it out of the cave. In all honesty, it wouldn't have been so bad, except for the frost troll that was living there. He doubted that they'd have made it out if not for Malborn. He'd managed to channel his inborn gift to command the troll to sleep, though it had taken a lot out of him. Varion had ended up carrying him out of the cave, the guy was quite tired. He was thankful that he'd saved the elf now, he loved his new sword, but he wouldn't pit it against a frost troll while wearing no armour. Etienne was similarly exhausted. Varion had given him the coat of his outfit, not being bothered by the cold as a Breton would be. "Thank you" the Breton in question said. "I'd be dead if not for you," he added. Varion waved off his thanks with the hand that wasn't supporting Malborn.

"No worries. If it messes up their plans, it's all fine" he replied. Etienne nodded, then took off at a run towards Solitude. Varion didn't care where he went after this, it wasn't his business.

"Was it worth it? I'm a hunted man now" Malborn muttered, apparently conscious enough to stand on his own now as he stopped leaning on Varion. Feeling the books that he'd taken with him, Varion grimaced.

"Yeah, you have no idea how worth it this was" he replied solemnly. "_This is bigger than the Thalmor. The entire civil war could change with this dossier"_ he reflected internally, unsure what to do with the new knowledge he possessed.

* * *

A/N:So, I prewrote this chapter before I'd even published the last one. It's 1:27am as I write this. I'm tired, but I don't regret this at all. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, that would make my suffering worth it.

So here we are with what could be considered "Volume 2" of the Legend of Varion. It's all one massive story with continuity, this is just where I consider the story to pick up into a new gear, hopefully that doesn't confuse anyone.

So, we jump back into the main quest for a little while. Varions found out some pretty shocking stuff and given Delphine a potential lead for what to do next. What will that next move be exactly? Stay tuned to find out!

Thank you all for reading, see you next time!


	24. Doom on the Horizon 2 - A Chance Meeting

**Previously on Varions Creed…**

Varion infiltrated the Thalmor Embassy to try and find evidence about the dragons. Finding nothing except signs of death and torture, he returns to Delphine with incredible revelations about Ulfric Stormcloak, and rumours of a man called Esbern…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"I'm glad you're alive" Delphine sighed, relief prevalent in her voice. Varion wasted little time, dropping the dossiers and investigation report on her desk before heading over to the chest in the room, taking out and putting on his own gear.

"Yeah, I'd agree with you" Varion replied. He felt far more comfortable with the familiar weight of his armour on instead of some fancy noble robes. "Take a look at those books. You'll find them interesting, they dedicated one to you" he added, reattaching his weapons.

"Say anything nice about me?" Delphine replied with a tone of humour, ignoring that book in favour of the one on Ulfric.

"Apart from wanting you dead, no. I gotta say, killing a whole thalmor assassination squad? Not bad" he commented absentmindedly as he finished changing. "But your mission was a waste of time in terms of the dragons. They know nothing" he continued, letting a bit of annoyance into his tone. Delphine sighed in frustration.

"Damn it. I was so sure…" she muttered. However, her eyes then widened as she picked up the dossier on Esbern, whoever that was.

"Someone you know?" Varion asked.

"Esbern? He's alive?" she wondered to herself out loud, effectively answering Varions question in the most vague way possible.

"Someone you know Delphine?" he asked again a bit louder. She blinked, then turned to him.

"Esbern was a member of the blades, a friend of mine. I thought, after the thalmor wiped us out…" she trailed off, the implications clear. Varion frowned. "If he's still alive, this is huge. He could have the info we need!" she said with excitement. Varion ceased his frown, but raised an eyebrow.

"If you don't know about this, why would he?" he asked curiously.

"Esbern was an archivist for the Blades. Centuries of knowledge about dragons and our history, he'll know it all, or more of it than anyone!" she explained, not losing her genuinely happy tone. It was weird to hear her not sarcastic or annoyed. To be fair, Varion was sure that if he asked anybody about himself, they'd say the same thing.

"I got some intel from a prisoner they had there. He said there was some crazy old guy hiding out in Riften and the thalmor were looking for him" he said. Delphines eyes narrowed.

"Esbern would fit that description. If the thalmor know where he is, time is of the essence" she growled, her familiar tone returning. Varion nodded in agreement.

"I'll set out to Riften. Been there before, it's a pretty awful place" he mentioned with annoyance. "If you wanted to hide somewhere, seems perfect" he added, explaining his earlier comment. Delphine snorted.

"I can't disagree with you there. I'll be waiting for you to get back. When you get to Riften, look for Brynjolf. He's well connected, he can help," she replied, moving to take a seat next to her map of dragon burial sites. "Just a note, Esbern is possibly the most paranoid person I know. There's no way he'll trust you" she said. Varion scoffed.

"So how am I gonna bring him back?" he asked in annoyance. A flash of sadness crossed over Delphines face, but disappeared before Varion could question it.

"Ask him what happened on the 30th of Frostfall. He'll know what that means" she said softly. Varion nodded, then turned to go. Before he could leave, she spoke up once again. "Are you going to return that sword? You have your old one back" she asked, referring to the katana that now was attached to Varions belt. He thought about it for a few seconds, remembering the thalmor blood it had spilled and how light yet strong the blade was. Needless to say, he came to his answer quickly.

"No" he replied bluntly, walking out of the room before Delphine could say another word. Somehow, he doubted she'd have minded him taking up a weapon of the blades. She seemed a little too keen for him to "carry on the legacy of the blades", to put it poetically, as a dragon slayer and thalmor killer. Needless to say, he still didn't fully trust her, she had her own agenda, and his hand would never stray far from drawing a weapon while she was around. Plus it didn't help that she'd nearly wasted her time on a wild goose chase while sending him into one of the most dangerous places in Skyrim.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The smell of Riften was no less disgusting the second time around, but at least Varion had more or less adapted to it. As he walked down the main street, he kept an eye out for Maul, hoping to cash in that favour if need be. Delphines contact, "Brynjolf", was apparently somewhere in this city, and the sooner Varion found him, and by extension Esbern, the quicker he could leave this filthy place. Sadly, the thug was nowhere to be seen, so Varion went to the marketplace to check it out. Everyone was so on edge, so jittery that walking through the marketplace made him keep his hand close to his katana. The blade of whiterun would be slower to draw, so his new one handed sword would be his go to weapon, at least in a quick skirmish. As he wandered, he once again felt like someone was watching him, but he shrugged off the feeling. After a small argument with a bitchy armour seller, he turned around only to see the redhead from yesterday walk up to him, dressed in all his finery. "Saw you in town a while ago lad. Shame we only had a chance to talk now" he said, an accent heavy in his voice. Varion kept his expression carefully neutral.

"Interested in me, were you?" he replied casually and the man chuckled.

"Well not if you say it like that" he joked and Varion rolled his eyes, realising what he'd just said.

"You want something?" the dragonborn asked, eager to quit the pleasantries and get back to his search.

"Well, that was what I was going to ask of you. You've got quite the heavy coin purse, eh lad?" the stranger asked somewhat rhetorically. Varions hand shifted to his gold pouch, not exactly comfortable with having this guy just sizing it up.

"Why do you ask? For the record, who are you?" The man chuckled at this.

"Sorry, forgot to introduce myself. My names Brynjolf" he said, offering a hand. At this, Varions eyes widened and his lips twitched upwards. He accepted the handshake.

"I'm Varion, and now that you mention it, I do want something. I've been looking for you Brynjolf" Varion revealed, keeping his tone neutral. To Brynjolf's credit, despite the vagueness of that statement, he didn't so much as twitch. "Delphine said you could help me," he added. At this, Brynjolf showed interest.

"Old Delphine sent you to find me eh? Whatever for?" he asked, curiosity in his tone.

"I'm looking for a guy. She said you're well connected, could help me find them. His names Esbern" Varion explained, lowering his voice. Brynjolf frowned in thought, then looked back up at Varion.

"I might know who you're talking about. But I don't work for free" he replied, his tone taking that of a smarmy salesman. Varion rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Of course you don't. But I think me saving this world warrants a freebie" he said tiredly, really not wanting to be dragged into doing Brynjolf a favour.

"Saving the world? What are you talking about?" The redhead was clearly confused, not that Varion could blame him.

"Long story short, I'm the Dragonborn. I need to find Esbern to stop the dragons" Varion explained hurriedly. At last, Brynjolf's ice cool demeanor changed into one of actual nervousness.

"Well, I think maybe we can work something out" he offered. "Esbern's down in the Ratway Warrens. Head into the sewers through the Ragged Flagon. Mention that I sent you, that'll get you past any obstacles. You'll find him" he continued and Varion nodded, offering a hand.

"Thanks. I'll get moving" he replied, eager to find the old man before anyone else did.

"Just don't let the world end, aye?" With that, Brynjolf walked off back to his stall in the market and Varion watched him go with curiosity.

"Yeah, he's not your average rich guy" he muttered under his breath, but he'd have time to figure that out later. He took off at a light jog down to the lower level of Riften, the walkways next to the water. It was disgusting, not helping that Varion spat in it a few times in disgust to get the filth out of his mouth. After peering through a few doors, Varion found one that led to what sure as hell looked like a sewer. He walked through it, not quite relaxed, but not quite on edge. "_After all, what crazy person would live down here in a sewer?"_ he thought to himself.

"Shut up idiot! Just let me worry about the guild!" a male voice hissed from up the hallway and around the corner, picked up by Varions wolf hearing.

"_And my question is answered for me"_ he thought in exasperation. He drew the Blade of Whiterun, letting the glow illuminate the hallway for him. He saw the shadows of the thugs at the end of the hall and grinned. He'd been itching for a straight up fight since before the Thalmor embassy. He crept closer, stepping lightly, hearing the voices get louder and the scent of two people mixing with the sewer smell. He coughed loudly to make himself known and chuckled at the way the two men jumped.

"Hold there! Give us all your money or give us your life!" the shorter of the two growled and Varion rolled his eyes. This guy was truly tiny, and his bigger friend was still at least 6'0, not exactly imposing next to Varion.

"Let me give you a counter offer" he replied with irritation, before quickly shouting. "YOL!" At his shout, flames shot from his mouth and his two enemies were quickly reduced to screaming in pain. Being on fire will do that to you. Varion quickly cut them down, ending their suffering, then moved on after giving them one last look of distaste. "Riften really is the worst…" he groaned.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The Ragged Flagon was hardly worthy of being called a bar. It smelt fractionally less awful in here. Varion walked in, keeping a hand ready to draw his sword, glancing around at the surroundings. The pool in the centre was surrounded by a stone walkway and at the other side of that walkway was a sign and a brute standing next to it, also known as the entrance to the inn. Varion made it over there, but brute guy stepped in his way. "What're you doin' here?" he asked gruffly. Varion matched his gaze, this guy was actually somewhat imposing. Same height as Varion, terrible breath and muscles on muscles. Almost a light warmup in a fight.

"I'm here to get into the Ratway. Move" he answered equally as bluntly. The brute flexed his shoulders.

"I don't like your tone friend" he threatened, though Varion didn't back down.

"Brynjolf gave me permission to come through here. Go take it up with him" he retorted, satisfied by the look of interest in the brutes eyes.

"Old Bryn? Huh. Fine. Don't cause any trouble" he grunted, moving aside. Varion walked past, satisfied with the ease of that formality, yet also disappointed that he hadn't gotten to dump that guy head first into the water. It wasn't the dragon nature urge to destroy, he hadn't felt that in a while now. He just liked fighting, and beating up arrogant inn guards had been something of a hobby of his back before Skyrim. He strode through the bar to the counter, barely sparing the other people a glance. Their armour was interesting though, not like anything he'd seen before. The way it was all so similar either meant these guys had very similar fashion taste or it was a uniform of some kind.

"Hey, barkeep" he called out, rapping his fist on the counter. "Where can I find the ratway?" The innkeeper in question looked him up and down. "Before you get any ideas about asking me who I am or why, Brynjolf gave me the go-ahead to be here" he added, attempting to avoid unnecessary delays. The man regarded him with interest.

"Well, if Bryn let you down here, I suppose we can forgive your rudeness" he said while glowering. Varion rolled his eyes in response. "The ratway is through that door. Careful, saw a whole bunch of elves down there. High and mighty type" the man added with disgust. Varion growled.

"Thalmor?"

"Could've been. They asked the same question you did. Told them the same thing. If Bryn really did send you down here, then I'll give you advice. Watch yourself, or you'll just be another body adding to the stench of Riften" the man finished solemnly. Varion nodded in thanks, then turned and walked into the deeper ratway. It was even darker, even danker, even worse in basically every way. He made his way through, using his sword for light. He did hear voices, but thanks to his hearing, he was able to pinpoint where they were and avoid detection. Sneaking around the Thalmor base had taught him a thing or two. Soon enough, he eventually happened across a door. Well, door might've been an understatement. It was one of the most heavily fortified things Varion had ever seen. He doubted that even his voice would've been able to break through.

"_Delphine said Esbern would be paranoid. The massive door would fit that description" _he thought sarcastically. He shrugged and settled for banging his fist on the door. A little slider in the top of the door opened up and he saw an old mans face look through.

"Go away!" he yelled and Varion rolled his eyes.

"_Great first impression"_ he thought with annoyance. "Hey old man, you're Esbern right?" he asked, already knowing the answer but wanting confirmation nonetheless.

"What? No that's not me, I'm not Esbern. I've got no idea what you're talking about!" the man vehemently denied.

"I'm Varion. Delphine sent me to find you" Varion explained. The man's eyes flashed with recognition and he looked defeated, not aggressive and scared as he had just before.

"So, Delphine keeps up the fight after all these years" he chuckled humourlessly. "I thought that she would've realised it's pointless by now. But now you've used her to find me, and here I am, a cornered rat" he lamented. Varion actually felt kinda sorry for the old man just by listening to him. The guy sounded so defeated, so hopeless.

"I'm not with the Thalmor Esbern" Varion reassured. "Delphine sent me here to find you, so we can stop the dragons" he added.

"That's a nice statement, but you've given me little reason to believe you" Esbern muttered. Varion then remembered Delphines words from earlier.

"Esbern" he called out again, getting the old man's attention. "What happened on the 30th of Frostfall?" he asked. As he'd hoped, his words had the expected reaction. Esbern's demeanor changed again, now actually seeming somewhat alive as opposed to the dead shell he'd been a few seconds ago.

"That question… Delphine really did send you?" he asked rhetorically. "Hold on a moment, let me get the door open, then we can talk" he offered, ducking out of the little door hatch. Varion then heard random mutters from the old man as well as the sound of several locks being undone.

"_Damn. Delphine wasn't kidding about paranoid"_ he thought with mild amusement. Eventually the door opened and Varion walked inside.

"Come in, come in. Make yourself at home" Esbern welcomed and Varion took a seat on the single bed as the old man sat down on his chair. "So, Delphine hasn't realised that it's hopeless yet. That's just like her, stubborn as they come" he said absentmindedly. "I tried to tell them all those years ago…" he trailed off and Varion raised an eyebrow.

"Back up a sec there old man. Why do you keep saying it's hopeless? The thalmor are strong, but not that strong" he questioned. Esbern shook his head.

"No, no, I refer to our true enemy. The thalmor are meaningless in the grand scheme of things, now that the end is upon us" he replied cryptically. Varion was now concerned. Either this guy was crazy or he knew something that Varion didn't. Probably both actually.

"Start explaining. What do you mean the end?" he commanded with concerned curiosity and Esbern sighed.

"I can't believe you all haven't figured it out. Fools, all of them…" he muttered, causing Varion to clench his fist in annoyance though he said nothing "Doom is upon us. Just as the prophecy said, Alduin the World-Eater has returned. The immortal dragon who devours the souls of the dead. No-one can escape him in life or the next! He will bring about the end of this world, and there is nothing that can be done to stop him!" Varions eyes widened.

"The literal end of the world?" he asked in shock, not wanting to comprehend such a thing.

"Yes" Esbern replied, all the fight leaving him again. "It's all been foretold. Alduin has returned. The only thing that can stop him is a dragonborn, but one has not been seen-"

"I'm gonna cut you off right there old man. Enough with all this hopeless shit" Varion said with annoyance. At Esberns wide-eyed and offended expression, Varion grinned. "It's not all over Esbern. I'm Dragonborn". Of all the different people he'd told about being dragonborn and their reactions, Esberns was perhaps the one Varion found most heartwarming. The way that life seemed to just come back into the old man at that simple revelation was quite astounding.

"You, are truly dragonborn? Then the gods have not abandoned us!" he said with enthusiasm. A smile actually graced Esbern's face. "Quickly, we must go to Delphine! I have so much to discuss…" he said absentmindedly as he stood up and began rummaging around his room. Varion chuckled at the sight of the old man, but then his thoughts turned darker.

"_Alduin, the dragon that's bringing back the others, the one that saved me. He's going to destroy the world?" _Varion thought with large amounts of concern. He'd brushed it off like nothing for Esbern's sake, having a confident hero would help the old man stop moping, but the revelation weighed heavily on his own soul. "_Like hell he is!"_ he growled internally. For the first time since Driftshade Refuge, Varion felt a second nature burning inside of him. His dragon nature growled alongside his own thoughts, the two natures of Varion aligning in goal and desire for now. "_Alduin's not getting close to destroying the world. Not if I destroy him first! I'll tear that bastard apart! He'll regret saving my life!"_

* * *

A/N:Oh god I did it. Sorry for the long break in the story, but I just didn't like writing this chapter. The "Cornered Rat" mission is not one I enjoy, and thus I didn't enjoy writing the chapter here, except for the convo with old Esbern! I'll try to make the next one more fun for me to write and hopefully more fun for you guys to read!

So, Varion now knows about the apocalypse. In the game I always found it kinda annoying how the player doesn't really seem to react much to this, but be assured, Varion doesn't exactly take this lightly. How will he change, and how will his dragon nature play into the events to come? Keep reading to find out!

Oh, and Brynjolf was there too. Yay

Thanks for reading, see you all next chapter!


	25. Doom on the Horizon 3 - Sky Haven Temple

**Last time on the story of Varion that is developing annoyingly slowly...**

Varion found Esbern and learned about the bringer of the apocalypse, Alduin. With this shocking information, they now travel back to Delphine to try find out their next move…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The reunion between Delphine and Esbern was a touching one, it was by far the most emotional Varion had ever seen the woman as she embraced her friend. However, seeing as Esbern was carrying news about the end of the world, that good mood quickly soured. A few minutes of explanation later and now the three were sitting around Delphine's secret room trying to figure out what to do next. "This is all a lot to take in Esbern. I guess you were right all those years ago" Delphine said softly. Esbern sighed.

"I wish I wasn't. But wishes will not save us. Only you can do that" he replied, gesturing over to Varion.

"Hmph. No pressure" he muttered. "So, do we have a game plan?" Esbern stood up and grabbed a book from his bag.

"Yes, I believe so. I have an idea as to how we can stop the end, now that we have a dragonborn! Have you two ever heard of Alduin's Wall?" he asked excitedly. Varion glanced at Delphine and shrugged at her, he'd never heard of such a thing.

"No, we haven't. Fill us in?" she replied. Esbern sighed in sadness.

"So much history and knowledge, all lost to time and ignorance" he muttered, though he quickly regained his excitement. "Alduin's wall, one of the ancient wonders of the world! It was the place where the ancient blades recorded all their knowledge of Alduin and the dragons, and even more importantly, the prophecy! Your prophecy, Varion!" he explained. At this, the dragonborn raised an eyebrow in interest.

"So this ancient wonder can tell us how to stop Alduin?"

"I'm not sure, but I believe it should have something useful. After all, they recorded all of this for a reason!" Esbern was looking far more alive than Varion had seen him before, and while it was a pleasant change to the depressed mess from back in the ratway, it was quite tiring.

"Alright. It's settled, this is our next move. We'll head to this Alduin's Wall. Where is it Esbern?" Delphine asked enthusiastically. Varion couldn't blame her, they finally had a plan instead of more guesswork.

"It's in a place called Sky Haven Temple, which lies in the Reach, near Karthspire. Here, I'll mark it on your map" Esbern offered, drawing a cross on a certain spot on Varions map.

"I know that area" Delphine said, deep in thought. "Crawling with forsworn. This won't be easy" she mused. Varion scoffed.

"Bunch of axe wielding savages. I've killed worse" he reassured her, not wanting her to think he was nervous. "_Besides, now that my dragon nature seems to be rising again, I could use a couple good fights,"_ he thought to himself, carefully controlling his facial muscles as to not grin. Of course he was worried about his dragon nature's resurgence and what it could mean, but it felt good to have burning anger towards a cause again, it helped to fuel him.

"Very well then. We'll travel to Sky Haven Temple. Will we go together? Or will you meet us there?" Delphine asked, raising an eyebrow at Varion. At this he did smirk.

"I've got my own travelling companions. I'll meet you at Sky Haven Temple, shouldn't take me more than a day. Just got to pick up a friend or two from Whiterun" he explained. "_It'll be a regular old outing, just like the old days"_ he thought to himself, allowing a mental smile at the memories. Delphine nodded.

"I'll make sure Esbern gets there in one piece. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. Don't die on us" she said in farewell, offering Varion her hand. After an amused scoff, he shook it. He still had his doubts about her, he had doubts about most people, but she'd proven useful so far. He almost felt like he could trust her. He walked out of their secret room and out of the sleeping giant inn, gazing up at the evening sky. It was beautifully clear and a pretty shade of orange, just on the verge of sunset. He smiled at the view, but his facial expression grew hard.

"_To think, if I fail, all this could be taken away"_ he thought angrily, clenching a fist instinctually. A couple deep breaths helped clear his anxiety. He knew that he now had the fate of the world on his shoulders, but he still couldn't fully wrap his head around it, it was such a big concept. He shook his head and walked down the main street of Riverwood. "_I'll take things one step at a time, and that starts with getting to Sky Haven Temple. And to do that, I'll need a friend or two"_ he thought with a small smirk and approached a familiar house. After knocking on the door, he was greeted by a familiar wood elf soon after. "Hey. Want to go on a trip?" The elf's eyes widened in recognition and his face broke into a smile.

"Ah, good to see you again Varion!" Faendal said while grinning, offering a hand. Varion accepted it warmly. "Please, come in!" he offered, but Varion held up a hand to stop him.

"Sorry, don't have time for that. I'm going on a big hike tomorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to tag along with me and a couple others?" Faendal smirked in response.

"You have my bow anytime you need it. I'd be glad to come along" he replied. Varion grinned and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Glad to have you on my side. You can crash at my place tonight, Breezehome. We set out tomorrow" he explained, turning and walking away.

"It's been too long since our last death defying trip together" Faendal remarked as he quickly shouldered his bow and followed him out, the pair eager to begin their next adventure.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Amazingly enough, Skyrim's weather was kind on the next day. As Varion, Faendal, Lydia and Aela all walked along the road towards Markarth and the Reach, the gentle breeze helped counter the sun's heat as it beat down on them. Faendal took point, walking in front of their convoy to look from afar with his elven eyes, as well as ward off any stray beasts. Aela walked next to Varion and Lydia took up position behind him, essentially making their group into a diamond formation of death-dealing. Well, that was the idea. Aside from a handful of wolves and a frostbite spider, they had barely done any fighting in the hours they'd been on the road. Varions hands twitched with annoyance, he'd been promised a fight and he wanted one. Aela and Lydia seemed slightly less bored, probably because they got to spend more time with him, and Faendal had been the only one of them racking up a decent kill count, admittedly of animals. "So my thane, will what we're looking for help to stop the dragons?" Lydia spoke up. Varion shrugged.

"Esbern seems to think so. I'm not exactly sure what we might find there, but the old man seems trustworthy-ish so far" he replied with uncertainty. He just hoped it was something worthwhile.

"You seem to be doing an alright job at killing them so far" Aela pointed out, casually flexing her wrist to loosen it up. As they travelled off the road and began climbing up a small rocky hill, Varion sighed.

"Won't matter if they just keep coming. I told you about that bastard Alduin, bringing the dragons back to life. Until we put him down, it'll be never ending" he growled. Truly Alduin was the primary threat here, kill him and they turn the war from an inevitable loss into a difficult, yet winnable battle.

"Hold!" Faendal called out, holding a hand up. As the party stopped, Faendal gave them the signal to crouch. They did so, sneaking forward and they collectively groaned in annoyance. They'd arrived at the karthspire camp, yet the place was filled with Forsworn. Varion counted at least 14, meaning that they would be significantly outnumbered. They had a fair number of archers, meaning stealth would be paramount here if they didn't want to get turned into pincushions. As he tried to come up with a strategy, his wolf hearing picked up footsteps behind him and he whirled around, noticing Aela do the same. To his relief, it was simply Delphine and Esbern, having caught up to them.

"Well, nothing gets past you" she chuckled, crouching beside them.

"Good to see you, we could use the help," he replied, gesturing to the camp ahead of them. Delphine frowned.

"Well, there's a ridge that we could get to. Esbern and your archer friends could provide covering fire while you unleash hell with your voice. In the chaos, we attack and cut them down with our swords" she suggested, pointing to the ridge in question. Varion raised an eyebrow in surprise at her tactical mind.

"Sounds like a plan. Now, Ael-" Before he could even finish, they heard a loud, annoyingly familiar roar, the roar of a dragon. The beast flew out from behind the large mountain that Karthspire was built next to and dove down at the forsworn. Shouts of panic rose from the camp as they engaged in battle against the beast and Varion just stared at it with dumbfounded amusement. "First time I've ever been glad to see one" he stated in a deadpan tone.

"We'll get to the ridge, go get them!" Aela called out as she jumped up from her hiding spot and ran over to the vantage point in question. Faendal and Esbern followed behind, already drawing bows and preparing spells.

"FEIM!" Varion shouted and his body became ethereal. He ran and took a great leap, falling quite a distance down to the forsworn camp. He landed hard, but felt no pain from it, only a weird sensation. Shuddering a bit from the feeling, he willed himself to become physical again, then drew his sword, then drew breath. "WULD!" He shot forward like an arrow while holding his sword out in front of him, and it quickly met a forsworn mid-charge. The blade pierced straight through his stomach and Varion quickly thrust the sword down, pinning the unfortunate barbarian to the floor as he died. Varion tore the blade of Whiterun out and engaged others in combat. He was vaguely aware of the covering fire from his friends as well as Delphine and Lydia joining him side by side in battle, but the forsworn honestly went down really easily. Of course, that may have been thanks to the giant fire breathing distraction that they hadn't asked for. The dragon took out half of the reachmen on it's own, then turned its attention to them. Thankfully, it also went down pretty easily. The forsworn briarhearts, their strongest mages, had done quite a chunk of damage to the beast and Esbern's magic, storm atronachs and ice spears, had knocked it out of the sky when combined with Varions unrelenting force shouts. Once it was grounded, the melee fighters went to town on it, hacking and slashing with reckless abandon. At one point Varion had a near miss with its tail, barely ducking in time to avoid being flung into the rocks nearby. After a second or two to register his luck, he felt a fire burn inside his stomach and throat. "YOL!" A torrent of flame shot from his mouth and smacked into the dragons leg, charring the limb. The leg gave way and the dragon fell on that side. From the front, Lydia thrust her sword into the beasts throat and quickly tore it out, causing it to give one final pathetic wail before collapsing to the ground. Varion let out a sigh of relief. If this dragon hadn't shown up, or if the forsworn hadn't done so much damage to it, the fight to get into the temple may have been way harder. He smiled as he felt the familiar rush of a dragons soul entering him, feeling his injuries and exhaustion fade away. He glanced over and saw Esbern staring at him in awe and shock.

"Dragonborn… it's an amazing sight..." he trailed off. Varion nodded in acknowledgement and thanks.

"You'll be seeing it a lot more before this war is over. Come on, let's get into the temple. We've come this far" he reasoned, stepping around the dragon corpse (though not before instructing Lydia to break off a few dragon bones and scales to carry back to town. He thought of her as a friend, but she was still sworn to carry his burdens).

**X-X-X-X-X**

The traps that the group had to get through in order to enter Sky Haven Temple were more annoying than actually life threatening, despite their numbers. Thanks to Esbern's knowledge and the groups keen eyes, they made it through mostly unscathed, nothing that some quick healing wouldn't fix. Before too long, they stood in front of a large stone face in a room that looked suspiciously like an inner sanctum. The oddest feature of the room was the funky seal on the ground with all the dragon carvings. "Ah, the Akaviri blood seal, another lost art of their people" Esbern explained excitedly. "A powerful security measure, only able to be triggered by, well, blood. Your blood, dragonborn" he specified, gesturing to Varion who only groaned.

"More damn blood rituals" he muttered, making a small cut in the top of his hand after removing his gauntlet. After letting the blood drip onto the seal, he cast a healing spell, feeling the familiar comforting warmth wash over his injured hand as it healed. The door opened up as he replaced his gauntlet and he walked into the temple at Esbern's gesturing.

"After you Dragonborn. You should have the honour of being the first inside Sky Haven Temple" he reasoned and Varion saw no cause to disagree. He walked inside slowly, pushing open the doors in his way. It was a dark location, but the torch he'd lit up served as ample lighting. Despite its age and disuse, the temple was in remarkably good condition. There were tables with books, weapon racks with more katanas, an armour set on a mannequin, it would make for a great base of operations. The gasps of awe from Esbern only made Varions analysis seem more justified. The whole group just took a few moments to admire the room before the reason they came there presented itself. A large wall with massively intricate carvings lay on one side of the room.

"I'm guessing that's what we're looking for" Delphine spoke up to Esbern who enthusiastically nodded.

"Incredible! Amazing!" he said softly. "Alduin's wall, in such good condition! It's truly a thing of beauty" he continued absentmindedly. Varion glanced over at Aela who shrugged, clearly confused by Esbern's gushing.

"Hey Esbern, you'll have plenty of time to admire it later. Can we get to the part where it helps me first?" he asked. Sure, it may have been a little blunt, but Varion wasn't known for his great patience outside of the battlefield. Esbern blinked a few times, then chuckled to himself.

"Of course, of course. My apologies, I got overwhelmed" he explained and Varion shrugged as acceptance. Esbern's gaze then turned analytical as he examined the wall.

"See anything good?" Delphine asked, only for Esbern to hold up a hand for silence.

"Let's see here. We have the ancient dragons, ruling over Skyrim all those years ago, yes… Ah! Here he is, Alduin the World Eater!" he mentioned with anger/excitement, gesturing to a specific dragon carving. "It shows him and the dragon cult at war with the rebelling nords. Here is his defeat, the centerpiece of the wall. He falls from the sky at the hands of the ancient tongues, nordic masters of the voice, or at least that's what I'm gathering here" he explained. Varion frowned.

"So what? They shouted him out of the sky? Is that what happened with these ancient tongues?" he guessed in confusion.

"Patience my boy. The akaviri were not a straightforward people, there is much symbolism and mystery to unravel here" he replied, much to the dragonborns annoyance.

"It wouldn't be one of your adventures if it was simple Varion" Faendal spoke up from across the room, causing the man in question to roll his eyes good-naturedly.

"The word coming from the mouths of these figures, the warriors, it is the Akaviri word for shout. You were right about that Dragonborn, but it says nothing about which shout was used" Esbern noted in annoyance.

"Well, we're looking for a shout" Varion stated. "That's something, but I don't think we'll find it on a word wall around here" he added. Esbern chuckled humourlessly.

"Unfortunately not. I'm afraid the rest of the wall is little help in this regard either. My apologies" he replied. Varion shrugged, then turned to Delphine.

"Any ideas?" he asked.

"Not a clue. I'm no expert on the voice. I don't suppose you know any shouts that can knock dragons out of the sky?" she asked hopefully. Varion frowned and shook his head.

"Nothing I know has that kind of power. Even a full strength unrelenting force will only knock them off course, not out of the sky altogether" he explained and Delphine sighed.  
"Damn it. Was worth a shot" she mumbled. Varion realised that there was only one other option for them, but also knew that Delphine may be opposed to it, given her past words.

"The greybeards might know about it" he offered, remembering their supposed mastery of all thu'um. Unsurprisingly, Delphine sighed again.

"You're probably right. I'd hoped to avoid involving them, but it seems we have little choice" she muttered, causing Varion to frown.

"I've been meaning to ask, what's your problem with them exactly?" he said bluntly, wasting no time beating around the bush. To this question, she scoffed.

"If they had their way, you'd sit up on their mountain all day talking to the sky, or whatever it is they do. They're so afraid of power that they won't dare to use it" she complained.

"There's a danger that comes with power" Varion noted, his dragon nature being the primary example in his mind. This did little to calm the woman.

"There are villains that misuse their power, that's always a risk. But not using power out of fear isn't exactly any better. Think about it, have they done anything to stop the civil war?" Varion rolled his eyes at this.

"That has nothing to do with them," he retorted, but she wasn't done.

"Have they done anything to stop Alduin?" At this, he had no response. "My point exactly. They're afraid of his power, and especially your power. Trust me, there's no reason to be afraid. If Tiber Septim listened to the greybeards, spent all his time afraid, he'd have never founded the empire. He wasn't afraid. Are you?" she questioned somewhat challengingly, inviting Varion to frown.

"_So much for our improved relationship" _ he thought bitterly. "In some cases, yes, I am worried about it". Delphine raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue. "I have the power to blast apart stone with my voice. I have the power to shoot flames from my mouth at any time. All that power, it's a rush, and it worries me". He saw her mouth open to protest and he held up a hand to silence her. "Let me be clear, I'm not afraid to use my power. I was given this gift for a reason. I just don't think I've learnt all I need to about this power to properly control it. If I can't control this amazing gift, it could cause devestation" he reasoned. Delphine sighed, but didn't challenge him.

"I suppose that's fair, but just remember your destiny. The greybeards can teach you a lot, caution, control, but you're still the only one who can stop Alduin. Don't forget that. You are the greatest dragonslayer," she stated, sounding more like an order than a reassurance. Varions face barely changed.

"I could never forget that. I'm not going to let the world end" he said with determination. "I'll go to the greybeards and find out what they know. I'll stop Alduin somehow" he promised, turning and walking out, but not before something caught his eye in the armoury.

"Something caught your fancy?" Delphine asked, raising an eyebrow. Varion smirked and drew his katana, laying it on the table.

"You could say that" he called over his shoulder, strolling over to a weapon rack where a new, glowing katana sat. He picked it up and gave it a few practice swings, feeling the power of the enchantment resonate through his gauntlet. He smirked in excitement. "Now that's a katana!"

* * *

A/N:Ah, I love throwing in references to other things in my work, especially when it makes some modicum of sense.

So, sorry for the late update once again, but as I said, we're in a very slow part of the story that I just can't be bothered with a lot of the time. However! Next chapter we should be speeding up, hopefully with a quicker update. As a warning, in about a week I'll be back at school full time, so that will slow me down as well. It's a bit complicated, but rest assured, the Legend of Varion will live on!

Thank you all for reading, see you in the next chapter!


	26. Dragon's Wisdom 1 - Paarthurnax

**Previously on the Legend of Varion…**

Varion and his allies actually made some progress towards stopping Alduin, learning of a shout that could potentially turn the tide against the black dragon. Varion now travels to the greybeards to see if they can help…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

The climb to High Hrothgar grew shorter every time and Varion shoved the doors open with plenty of energy left, a stark contrast to his first climb up the 7,000 steps. He was alone, having left his companions to return to their homes seeing as business between him and the greybeards would be better left between those two parties. "Master Arngeir!" he called out as he entered the monastery, seeing the familiar face walking down the steps to greet him.

"Ah, Varion. What a pleasant surprise!" he greeted, bowing his head as he spoke. Varion returned the gesture.

"I only wish I came here on better terms" Varion admitted, feeling the mood drop. Arngeir raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "I need to learn the shout used to defeat Alduin". At this, the old masters expression instantly turned thunderous.

"Where did you learn of that? Who have you been talking to?" he asked sharply. Varion flinched, a little taken aback at the suspicion in the old man's voice. Quickly considering his options, he realised that lying wouldn't do him any good in this instance. He also had half an idea that Arngeir's question was rhetorical.

"I learnt of it through Alduin's wall, with the help of the blades" he said, and Arngeir seemed to get even angrier.

"The blades! Of course they're involved in this! Fools, meddling with things they don't understand! Their arrogance knows no bounds!" he hissed and Varion took an involuntary step back. Usually people getting worked up didn't scare him, but when a man could kill you with a whisper of his voice, it was cause for concern.

"Woah woah, calm down!" Varion said quickly, holding up his hands to placate the old man.

"With the blades involved, I see little reason to! Bloodthirsty barbarians! They have always sought to turn the dragonborn away from the path of wisdom!" Arngeir continued. Varion frowned at this.

"I-" Arngeir cut him off.

"I had thought you would've known better Varion! Will you simply be a tool in the hands of the blades? A weapon at their beck and call?" At this, Varion stepped forward.

"Listen old man! I am many things, but a pawn is not one of them! I followed the blades this far because I wanted answers, they cannot, and will not, control me!" he replied angrily, matching Arngeir's tone. "All I care about is stopping Alduin and the end of the world! After that, I don't care what happens for now!" He forced himself to breathe deeply, calming down. "I'm sorry for my outburst Arngeir, but I wish to make myself clear" he apologised and the anger in Arngeir's expression lessened. He sighed deeply.

"I apologise Dragonborn, I have judged you unfairly. Forgive me". Varion's nod was enough of a response for him to visibly relax.

"Master, if I may ask, what is your problem with the blades?" Varion asked curiously, regaining the respectful tone in his voice now that their argument had been resolved. Arngeir scoffed.

"They are liars. They claim to serve the dragonborn, but they do not, they never have. They only seek their own goals" he explained and Varion groaned in annoyance.

"Yeah, Delphine never seemed like the serving type" he noted. Then he frowned. "If the blades are going to claim to serve me, they'll make good on that promise. That'll tell me their true nature. If they don't take my orders, I'll know that she lied" he reasoned and Arngeir regarded him with a raised eyebrow.

"I suppose that is a viable way to find out" he admitted and Varion's frown lessened. "But remember my warning Dragonborn, the Blades are ruthless. They would seek to use your power as a weapon against the dragons and any other enemy they saw fit to destroy. It is the complete enemy to the way of the voice, the true way to use this gift" he added and Varion pondered his words.

"I don't think I can follow your teachings to the letter master, it's just not who I am. Violence is entwined with my soul" he started, noticing Arngeir's saddened expression. "But I will not allow my power to be used as anyone else's weapon. The only one who tells me how to use it is me, though I will regard your teachings" he finished. He was speaking truthfully, he understood the point of the way of the voice, but his soul and mind were so deeply intertwined with violence that he wouldn't be able to put all that aside.

"A fair viewpoint" Arngeir said, accepting that this was likely the best result he'd get.

"Now, getting back to topic," Varion continued, not wanting to get distracted. "I need to know the shout. Can you teach it to me?" he asked.

"No" Arngeir said simply. At Varions perplexed expression, he continued. "I cannot teach you this shout because I do not know it, none of the greybeards do". Varion raised an eyebrow.

"Do you at least know stuff about it?" he asked, surprised at the revelation that Arngeir didn't know a shout.

"It is called Dragonrend, and it is a shout of immense power" Arngeir began. "But it holds no place in the way of the voice. The greybeards have no interest in learning this shout".

"Why? What's so bad about it?" Varion inquired.

"The shout was made by those who lived under the unimaginable cruelty of Alduin's dragon cult. They poured all their hatred and drive for revenge into the shout when they created it, and it still carries that same hatred. Remember, when you learn a shout, you take it into your very being. You will be taking this evil into yourself to learn this shout" Arngeir explained, warning in his tone. Varion considered his words, a frown forming on his face. Clenching his fist tightly, he thought back to his inner conflict. His dragon nature was already enough of a worry as it was, now this shout could turn him evil? He shook his head, disregarding these concerns.

"_I made a promise to myself to destroy Alduin, and I will, regardless of the risks"_ he decided and he met Arngeir's eyes. "Regardless of the dangers, I need to destroy Alduin. This shout is my best chance against him, I'll take those risks" he announced bravely, more confidence in his voice than in his heart at that moment. The greybeard sighed.

"Very well. We will assist you on your path, but remember my warnings Varion" he said, almost a pleading tone in his voice. At the Dragonborns nod, Arngeir continued. "While we cannot assist you, perhaps our leader can. Paarthurnax, master of the greybeards". At this, Varion raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "He lives in seclusion at the peak of the throat of the world. Being allowed to see him is a great privilege, even for a Dragonborn" he added.

"So can I meet him?" Varion asked, eager to cut short all the 'great and powerful' talk.

"You aren't ready" Arngeir stated dejectedly. "But thanks to the Blades, it seems we have little choice" he added with frustration.

"So how do I get to him?" Varion asked, internally cheering that finally he was making some progress towards his objective.

"Tomorrow, meet us in the courtyard Varion. We will teach you the shout to open the way to Paarthurnax" Arngeir replied. The two men bowed to each other, Arngeir walking away after he finished. Varion breathed a sigh of relief, he honestly wasn't expecting to be getting their help now. He'd asked a lot of them, even mentioning the Blades was a risky move, but it had all paid off.

"_Or at least, I hope it will"_ he thought with annoyance, regarding how badly his previous adventures had gone wrong.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The next morning, Varion was on his way up the mountain, steadily approaching it's peak. The greybeards had all assembled outside at dawn when he'd entered the courtyard and he learned a new shout directly from them. The shout was "Clear Skies", "Lok Vah Koor". Arngeir had warned Varion that this would be the last gift that the greybeards would give to him, and while it had been annoying, the Dragonborn couldn't really argue much. It was a full 3-word shout for free. He'd been instructed to use it to blast away the magical winds that prevented people from ascending to the higher parts of the mountain and the shout had worked well. He'd had to use it over and over to counter the harsh winds of the mountain, but so far it was making the trek a hell of a lot easier. Trudging through the snow along a perilous path was not a fun time, but Varions strength allowed him to manage it. At this moment, he was grateful that he hadn't given up his werewolf blessing, he wasn't sure how well he'd be doing without it. After a long battle, he reached the peak of the mountain and he gazed out over Skyrim. It was beautiful, he'd never seen a sight quite like it. He was so high up he could see for miles, Whiterun was a tiny speck in the distance. He could see the other capital cities from here, Riften, Solitude, several he'd never been to. "_I'll be coming back here"_ Varion decided. "_I can't die having only seen this once"_. He looked around the peak and saw a word wall. "_Of course, mountains always have these at their peaks"_ he groaned internally and walked towards it, having a sinking feeling about it. The roar only confirmed his suspicions. "_And they always have one of these too…"_ he moaned as he unsheathed his weapon and twirled. Sure enough, a dragon was flying into view. It looked old, different to the other dragons Varion had fought. What else was surprising is that it didn't seem keen on attacking. It flew right by him without launching a single attack, turned, and landed right in front of him. The words out of his mouth would shock Varion so much that his mouth would hang open for a solid 5 seconds.

"Drem Yol Lok, greetings Wunduniik. I am Paarthurnax" the dragon stated. Que the shocked expression on Varion.

"You're the master of the greybeards?" he managed to ask once his shock had worn off. "_With a name like Paarthurnax, what did I expect?"_ he thought, mentally slapping himself.

"Indeed, I am. So, who are you? Why have you come to my mountain?" he asked curiously, regarding Varion cautiously.

"I'm here because I need to learn the dragonrend shout" he replied honestly. Paarthurnax blinked, then spoke again.

"Drem, patience. There are formalities that must be observed upon the first meeting of two of the Dov" he explained before he turned to the word wall on the mountain. He shouted at it, letting loose a torrent of fire from his mouth. When the stream ceased, a word now burned there. Varion walked over and read it, hearing it within him.

"Toor Shul" he spoke aloud, feeling the fire within him again, only far warmer. It was the second and third words of the Fire Breath shout he'd already learnt. As he turned back to Paarthurnax, he felt the old master grant him the understanding of the words.

"My thanks, but what's this for?" he asked curiously.

"As I said, formalities. By long tradition, the elder speaks first. By knowing this Thu'um, you may match me" he explained. "Now, speak. Greet me not as a nord, but as Dovah!" he commanded. Varion was happy to oblige and breathed deeply.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" he roared and a torrent of fire shot forth, hitting Paarthurnax. The immense power of his shout compared to the singular word he'd used earlier was remarkable, it was like when he'd used the full strength of Unrelenting Force for the first time after only using two words for ages. Despite this, the dragon remained unscathed, just like Alduin had barely been affected by Varion's force shout. While he was impressed, a part of him was worried. "_Just how much stronger will I have to be to kill Alduin?" _he thought with worry.

"Ah, it is good to engage in Tinvaak with one who is of my kind! Truly, the dragonblood runs strong in you!" Paarthurnax said with what sounded like happiness.

"Thanks, you're impressive as well" Varion replied, not sure what to make of the old dragons praise. "So, about why I'm here…" he started, wanting to shift conversation back to the matter at hand.

"Ah, yes. You seek your weapon against Alduin. What other reason would you have to make your way here?" he asked. Varion shrugged.

"The view was impressive" he noted absentmindedly. This earned a snort from Paarthurnax.

"Returning to the topic, I have disappointing news for you. I cannot teach you the shout you seek. Krosis" Paarthurnax stated apologetically. Varion growled in annoyance.

"Oh give me a break" he muttered. "Why not?"

"I do not know it. This shout cannot be known to me" the old dragon explained. "Nor can it be known to any dragon. Our hadrimme, our minds, cannot comprehend it's concepts, for it was made by Joore, mortals, as a weapon against our kind" he added.

"I suppose that makes sense" Varion admitted begrudgingly. "So how can I learn it?"

"First, a question, if I may" Paarthurnax replied. At Varions nod, he continued. "Why do you want to learn this Thu'um?" This actually caused him to stop and think.

"Well, it's the only plan we have to stop Alduin, and I will stop him" Varion replied. Paarthurnax seemed to think deeply about his answer.

"Yes, Alduin. Teyzmah, the elder brother. Grasping and gifted, yet troublesome, as is often the case of the first born" he spoke slowly, seeming to think carefully about his word choice. "But why do you wish to stop Alduin?"

"Isn't it obvious? He wants to destroy the world. I'll be damned if I let that happen, there's too much in this world to lose" Varion answered simply. Paarthurnax snorted.

"As good a reason as any, Dovahkiin, but yours is not a view shared by all. Some would say this world must end for the next to begin, the next Kalpa. Would you stop this?"

"I don't care about the next world. I don't live there. I live here and I've got too much to lose" he replied bluntly. Paarthurnax nodded, but said nothing about his answer. "Do you know how I can learn Dragonrend?" he asked.

"Your shout may not be known to me, but perhaps there are others you can learn it from" he replied. Varion tilted his head, encouraging Paarthurnax to continue. "Do you know why I choose to make my home here, atop this Monavahn?" The Dragonborn paused to think for a moment.

"Well, half the mountains in Skyrim have dragons living on them, I figured your kind just had an affinity for them" he shrugged. Another snort came from the old Dov.

"That is true, but not the full reason. I live here because this was the very spot that Alduin was defeated by the ancient tongues" he explained.

"Using Dragonrend".

"Yes and no. Dragonrend allowed them to do battle, but it did not grant them victory. Alduin was not truly defeated. If he was, you would not be here seeking to defeat him" Paarthurnax replied.

"_I guess that makes sense, but that doesn't bode well for me"_ Varion thought with irritation.

"They used an Elder Scroll to cast Alduin adrift along the currents of time" the old dragon finished.

"An Elder Scroll?" Varion wondered aloud. His father had told him briefly about those, and by that, he'd told him that they existed and were very mysterious. "So what you're saying is that they sent Alduin forward in time, to now?"

"Not intentionally. They had hoped he would be gone forever. I knew better. Time flows ever forward, he would've emerged someday. For thousands of years I waited at this spot, knowing where, but not when, he would return" Paarthurnax answered.

"All very interesting, but how does this help me?"

"Tiid Krent… Time was shattered here, thanks to what the Nords did to Alduin. If you brought the Kel, the Elder Scroll back to this point, you could perhaps look back through the time break to the past, and learn Dragonrend from it's creators" the dragon theorised and Varion took a moment to ponder this.

"_It makes sense, or as much sense as this could make given we're talking about a magic scroll. It's my only way to get Dragonrend. All I have to do is find an Elder Scroll and…"_ Varion trailed off in thought as grim realisation set upon his face. Paarthurnax looked at him curiously, wondering why he had the sudden expression change. "Of course my destiny would send me on another fetch quest..."

* * *

A/N:Another chapter done! This one was a little more fun, I like working with Paarthurnax and the greybeards!

So, main quest progression, and more details about the world revealed! I can't wait to get further into the story, but I'll be breezing through it more quickly if I can, just so I can get past the boring parts. Rest assured, I'll still have every bit of Varion-y goodness I can cram in! Thanks for reading, see you in the next chapter!


	27. Dragon's Wisdom 2 - Yet Another Guild

**Previously on the Legend of Varion…**

Our hero met with Paarthurnax the friendly dragon and was sent on a fetch quest in order to destroy Alduin. Of course he was…

**Now, back to our regularly scheduled fetch quest…**

* * *

When Varion arrived back home in Whiterun, he was exhausted. He'd gotten some sleep in High Hrothgar after his trip down the mountain, but that was the limit of his rest. The monastery to Whiterun on about 7 hours of sleep was no easy feat, so much so that he barely acknowledged Lydia when she welcomed him home.

"My thane, welcome back!" she greeted warmly.

"Hey Lydia…" Varion mumbled before heading upstairs, struggling to pull his armour off as he did. His housecarl followed him curiously.

"Is everything alright?" she asked cautiously. Varion sighed.

"I've been commanded by another old man to retrieve another old thing for the sake of my destiny" he explained tiredly as he managed to get his armour off. He then literally fell into the bed facefirst, Lydia snorting in amusement at his behaviour.

"The legendary hero Varion everyone" she muttered under her breath. Varion scoffed in humour, his hearing allowed him to hear her remark.

"Even I'm not invincible, I need my rest. Besides, I've got an elder scroll to find now" he said, turning over to lie on his back. Lydia raised an eyebrow.

"I've read some very confusing books about them," she started. "Why do you need one? They're said to be incredibly powerful, is this how you'll save the world?"

"The scroll is a means to an end, apparently. I'm supposed to use it to learn this shout that can help me stop Alduin" he explained. Lydia took all that in.

"So you have a plan now?"

"Not much of one. I have the what, but not the how or where" he replied. He then sighed with exhaustion. "It's really annoying. All of this work, all this blind guessing. What if I get it wrong?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else. "I never dreamed of being a hero, not like this. All this adventure, it's been unexpected. What if I go out to get this scroll and I never come back?" he continued.

"My thane-" Lydia began, but Varion cut her off.

"I'm not afraid to die, let me make that clear. But I'm not fighting for just me anymore. The whole world is at stake now, all on my damn shoulders!" Varion was clearly getting agitated now. "All these people I've come to care about, they put all this faith in me, they follow me. What if I've been leading them to their deaths?!" At this last remark, he punched the wall, leaving a generous indent in it of his fist. Lydia took some time to think of a response, she'd forgotten about Varions more volatile temper. His edges had been smoothed out a lot since she met him, but he was hardly a tranquil man.

"You know, when you first came to Whiterun and I was put into your service, I couldn't have imagined the kind of adventure that would come out of it" she said softly. Varion glanced at her, unsure of where she was going with this. "I've seen more of Skyrim than I ever dreamed, fought dragons, seen men breath fire with their voice" she continued. "I've lived more in the last few months than I had in my whole life up to that point, and I'm sure Faendal and the others who met you would say the same". She paused, unsure of how to continue. Varion regarded her with interest, it was quite the speech so far. He gave her an encouraging nod, asking her to finish. She then took a deep breath. "These last few months have been some of the best times of my life Varion, and they were because of you and your journey. I'd follow you over and over again if it meant I was helping you" she finished. Varion sat there, silent, unsure of how to respond. Her words affected him a lot.

"_I may have done this good, but I still lead them into danger, all the time"_ he thought. "_And what's worse, the danger could be coming from me soon" _he continued with dread, remembering how his dragon nature had been close to overwhelming him only a relatively short time ago in Jorrvaskr, and how he'd felt it resurface lately. He opened his mouth to reply, but Lydia cut him off.

"I'll choose to be with you until the end, Varion. Just know that" Lydia said with a sad smile before walking out of the room, leaving Varion to himself. Her unspoken meaning was fairly clear, Varion was really quite sure that she had feelings for him. However, he knew that he couldn't return them. No matter their relationship personally, he was still technically her boss, it wouldn't feel right to him. Plus, with how he was, what he'd done in the past, Lydia deserved someone less chaotic. He sighed with sadness before lying back down, making a note to fix the wall tomorrow. He'd worry about the world after a nice sleep in, if his dreams didn't plague him

**X-X-X-X-X**

Thankfully, Varions sleep was relatively peaceful and he awoke the next day refreshed. He grabbed his armour and cast a small healing spell on the fist that had punched the wall, wincing as he did. He grabbed his greatsword and dagger from the floor where he'd dropped them and headed out of Breezehome, Lydia following him. He'd chosen to bring along a companion this time seeing as he'd never been to Winterhold before. When he'd questioned Arngeir about the elder scrolls, the old monk had pointed him in the direction of the "College of Winterhold", the major magical institution in Skyrim that apparently specialised in "blasphemies" like the elder scrolls. He made a stop off to the companions before he left, informing the circle of what had happened and where he was going, though he left out the fact that Paarthurnax was a dragon. He didn't feel like that kind of information was something to be shared lightly. The circle were initially confused by his intention to travel to the college of Winterhold, but his explanation satisfied their curiosity. Aela was a little upset that he didn't invite her to come with him, but he reasoned that he wanted the companions around to protect the city in his absence, which thankfully was enough to keep them from questioning/nagging further. He grabbed his horse, Lydia grabbed hers, and just like that they were on their way. The ride to Winterhold was fairly standard, if not boring. They conversed a little about recent events in Whiterun, the civil war, anything to fill the time, but the majority of the ride was in silence. Crossing the borders wasn't eventful either, they decided to take an alternate route off the main road to avoid guards, passing by many interesting ruins, a few of dwarven design. Lydia had jokingly suggested making a note to explore them one day, only to look nervous when Varion began to note each one down on the map for later pillaging. "_I may not be very materialistic, but I will never say no to more weapons"_ he noted to himself as he did so. The dwarves had amazing technology, at least from what he'd read about them. Surely they'd have some useful gear leftover in those ruins of theirs. He eventually came into view of Winterhold as night was beginning to fall, and was very underwhelmed. He hadn't been in Skyrim for over 9 years before he was arrested and taken to Helgen, so his memories of the place were a little fuzzy, and he couldn't remember if he'd ever been to Winterhold anyways, but it was still quite sad just how small the city was. Destroyed buildings formed an outer ring around the three or four that were still intact. He and Lydia rode through the town, examining what little there was to examine. According to Lydia, the city had been this way for decades after "The Great Collapse", which many blamed the college for. "Of course the nords would blame magic for their misfortune" Varion had muttered to that, getting a bemused snort from his housecarl. It was no secret that magic had a poor reputation in Skyrim among the nords especially. Varion had dabbled in its use quite a bit, knowing basic fire and healing spells were essential for any adventurer and he'd picked up some new spells since arriving, though he'd yet to properly delve into learning new magic. He was going to the college to find the elder scroll, but he saw no problem with learning more magic while he was there. A part of his mind was delighted at just how much more power he'd be able to wield, but he mentally told it to shut up. As it was getting late in the day and the college didn't seem open, Varion and Lydia ended up renting a room at the inn, the Frozen Hearth. Aside from a rather suspicious looking high elf mage and an obvious obnoxious drunk, they seemed like decent folk living in the inn. As they retired to their room, Lydia and Varion turned away from each other and began to take off their armour, getting ready to sleep.

"So my thane, your thoughts on Winterhold?" Lydia asked as she removed her chest armour, leaving her undershirt on.

"What is there to think about? It's not much of a city. Hard to believe it was once capital of Skyrim" Varion replied without looking, removing all his upper body armour and undershirt, leaving him shirtless. His ears twitched as he heard Lydia inhale a little more quickly in that one instant and he suppressed a chuckle. He gestured to the singular bed. "We sharing again? Or should I take the floor?" he asked absentmindedly, taking off his leg armour as he did so. He remembered the last time the two had stayed in an inn together, they'd only had one double bed then as well. Lydia regained her focus and coughed awkwardly.

"Oh, my thane, I couldn't ask you to sleep on the floor. I'll-" Varion cut off her rambling with a raised hand, having turned to face her.

"We've done this before Lydia. Besides, Winterhold is a cold place, the extra body heat will help" he reasoned, figuring she'd be more likely to concede to logic than simple reassurance. Lydia was a bit more red than usual, but nevertheless nodded. They each got into their respective side of the bed, deeming the sword they'd used on the first night to determine the halves a bit overkill. As Varion had predicted, the night was significantly colder than the ones in Whiterun, or even Morthal. To his mild surprise, merely a few minutes after beginning to try and sleep, he felt a weight to his side. Opening his eyes, he saw Lydia now curled into his side. She was cold to his touch, and at this, Varion grimaced at his lack of care. Thanks to Varions nordic blood and, more likely, his werewolf blessing/curse, he could deal with the cold just fine, but Lydia appeared to be shivering slightly, seeing as she was from one of the warmer regions of Skyrim. Mentally shrugging, he put an arm around Lydia, transferring more of his heat over to her.

"For warmth…" she mumbled sleepily, shuffling even closer almost unconsciously. Varion chuckled. She had a blush on her cheeks, clearly cold wasn't her only motivation for this. After thinking for a few moments, Varion breathed a word softly.

"Yol". As he spoke, warm air rushed from his mouth and over the bed, heating up Lydia and himself significantly, but not uncomfortably so. Based on the way his housecarl sighed in contentment, she was a fan of this trick. Varion had learned to do it while on his trips up and down the throat of the world. If he held back his destructive force a lot when shouting, merely whispering in this case, he could decrease the power of his shout to suit more mundane needs, like when he'd used it to light Kodlak's funeral pyre. He'd used this hot air shout/whisper to help him deal with the cold when climbing the mountain, seeing as the full powered fire breath seemed a little overkill, especially now that he had all three words. As Lydia snuggled closer to her new heat source, Varions heart sank a bit. He didn't deserve such a loyal friend, and he especially didn't deserve the feelings she had towards him. He knew he'd have to breach the topic at some point, to shut them down before they got stronger, but for now, he was content with holding her like this. He may not like her romantically, but he loved her as a friend, as much as he loved anyone. Her loyalty, her kindness, it had gotten him through many struggles, physical and mental, and he'd forever be grateful for it. He had never seen her as a servant, only a companion, and now as a friend. "_It's people like her, like Aela, like Faendal, that make me want to save the world. Though I'm not going to give Faendal hugs in the night"_ he thought with a small bit of humour. He tightened his grip on her slightly, as if to protect her from what might come tomorrow, and followed her into sleep.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The next morning was thankfully not as awkward as Varion had initially anticipated. When they awoke, instead of Lydia being all awkward and flustered, she simply got up, thanked Varion for the warmth, and went about her morning routine. He just mentally shrugged and went about his morning like usual. Ten minutes later, they were walking up to the entrance of the College of Winterhold amidst even more crappy snowy weather. It took them a very short while to make it to the college, Winterhold was truly tiny. A serious looking high elf stood at the archway, and Varion looked past her to admire the building. It had been hidden by the dark the night before, but it was a truly remarkable building. Massive, with noticeably un-nordic architecture, practically radiating magical energy. "_Just the kind of place to find a scroll with unimaginable power"_ Varion thought to himself. He motioned for Lydia to stay back while he dealt with the formalities. As he approached the high elf, her gaze sharpened.

"Halt stranger!" she called out as he reached a reasonable proximity to her. "Who are you?" she questioned. Varion tilted his head, this wasn't the friendliest greeting he'd ever had.

"My name is Varion. I'm here to get into the college" he stated simply. The elf tilted her head.

"I hope you're referring to becoming a student, because otherwise you're not getting anywhere near our college" she informed him, the threat quite clear. Varion frowned.

"You greet all visitors like this?" he asked with a side of sarcasm. His verbal opponent scoffed.

"You're a brutish looking heavily armoured nord warrior coming up to our gates, with bloodstains visible on your armour" she replied swiftly, causing Varion to internally grimace at the reminder of the Driftshade slaughter. "We haven't had very good experiences with your type, so forgive our preventative measures. We mean you no harm, unless the feeling isn't mutual" she elaborated. Conceding to her point, Varion made an effort to untense his stance.

"As I said, I'm Varion. You might know me better as the dragonborn" he offered, figuring that using his title in this instance was justified. To his satisfaction, that definitely got her attention.

"Wait, really? The dragonborn?" she asked with disbelief. Varion nodded, then turned to the sky.

"This weather's starting to bug me" he said nonchalantly, then tensed up. "LOK VAH KOOR!" A wave of energy burst into the sky and instantly, the snowy weather ceased and the clouds began to dissipate. Looking back towards the bridge guardian, she was now staring at Varion with unrestrained shock and awe. This made his lips twitch up a little, but he kept his expression mostly controlled.

"So the rumours are true…" the elf said softly, almost not daring to believe the fact that the sun was now shining on Winterhold for the first time in weeks. Varion waved his hand to bring her back to attention.

"So, can I come in?" he asked, and to his annoyance, her guarded expression sprang back up, albeit a little softer than before.

"That depends on the purpose for your visit" she asked carefully. Varion regarded her for a moment before deciding that he could probably reveal his true cause to her.

"I'm here looking for an elder scroll. I need it to help save the world. I'm also looking for some extra training in the fields of magic to become more powerful. It'll help in my previously stated goal" he explained. To her credit, the elf didn't look that bemused at this.

"An elder scroll? Well, we don't have one, but perhaps we could assist in locating one" she offered and Varion nodded.

"It's all I ask. Fate of the world and all that" he mentioned casually as if they were talking about nothing.

"As for the training, you could join the college as an apprentice. That is what the institution is for, after all" she continued. Varion shrugged.

"As long as I don't get detention for skipping class to slay dragons" he half joked and he could've sworn her lips twitched upwards.

"I don't think that will be a problem," she reassured. "I'll take you to the college and introduce you to Mirabelle Ervine, our master wizard. She'll get you settled in, and help you with your other reason for being here. Oh, and my name is Faralda. Pleased to meet you" she added before beginning to walk along the bridge. Varion shrugged, signalled to Lydia that everything was fine and began to follow her, watching his footing as they walked along the fairly treacherous bridge while Faralda cast spells at weird looking structures along the way.

"I take it this bridge has seen better days?" he asked casually whilst still following. He was glad he'd cleared the weather earlier, he didn't feel like walking across this in a snowstorm.

"You don't know the half of it. The great collapse didn't leave the college entirely untouched" Faralda replied grimly.

"Why not just fix it using magic?" he asked curiously. Faralda opened her mouth to give a response, then promptly shut it, seemingly unsure of the answer herself. The walk then finished in silence with Faralda opening the main gates and the two of them entering what seemed to be the central courtyard.

"That's Mirabelle over there" she said, pointing to a pair of people on the far side of the courtyard. Varion nodded and began to walk over to them. "Good luck Dragonborn" she called out before walking back to her guard duty. As Varion approached Mirabelle, he got a better look at who she appeared to be talking to and it took a lot of restraint not to draw his blade right then and there.

The man she spoke to was a thalmor.

* * *

**A/N:Behold yet another chapter! Don't worry, not dead yet! I'm just going through a ton of stuff, so that'll slow down update rates. But, I said slow down. Not stop. This story will continue!**

**So, we've reached the College of Winterhold! Another main questline presents itself! How will Varion interact with this new cast of quirky characters? Frankly, no idea. Tune in next time to find out!**

**Please favourite, follow and review if you enjoyed it, I really like reading your feedback! Thank you for reading, see you in the next chapter!**


	28. Dragon's Wisdom 3 - Target Located

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion and Lydia travelled to Winterhold, seeking the college of Winterhold and the knowledge within. After a bit of an awkward initiation conversation, Faralda let him in as a student and as the dragonborn to help with his quest. However, the presence of a thalmor agent within the college has just sparked Varions interest greatly…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

"_Bastard! What the hell is he doing here?" _Varion thought angrily. He kept his expression carefully neutral and kept his hand off his sword as he walked closer to the pair. The woman, Mirabelle, seemed rather annoyed with the snooty Altmer, dismissing him with irritation. Thankfully, by the time Varion got within conversing distance of Mirabelle, the Thalmor had already stormed off with a dirty look thrown her way. She breathed deeply to calm herself, and Varion coughed to get her attention.

"Oh, hello there" she greeted politely. "Did Faralda send you my way?"

"Yeah. My name is Varion" he replied, offering a hand. She shook it, then tilted her head.

"Forgive me, but I find it odd that we have yet another nordic student. What made you want to study magic here?" she asked. There was no snark or double meaning behind her words, she was simply curious, so Varion answered her in truth.

"That's actually a complicated matter" he said honestly, causing her confused expression to become a little more guarded and even more curious. "I'm the dragonborn" he started, trying to read her reaction. It was more quiet surprise.

"Dragonborn?" she repeated softly. "So does that mean that all the rumours around Skyrim are true? Dragons returning?"

"Yeah, it's all true, and if I don't stop them it'll only get worse. We're talking about an apocalypse here" he said grimly. Mirabelle nodded, taking this far better than he expected. Then again, she was clearly a master wizard, she was used to dealing with magical things. "_I guess that's why she's believing me" _he thought to himself.

"So why are you here?" she asked.

"I need to find an Elder Scroll. It's the only lead I have to stopping the dragons" he explained and Mirabelle frowned.

"An Elder Scroll? Gods, this is serious if those are involved" she muttered before meeting Varions eyes again. "I'll take you to Urag, the wizard in charge of the arcaneum. He'll know more about this than anyone, maybe he can help" she offered, earning a nod in response. "Oh, and Varion? Do you actually intend to be here as a student?" she asked curiously. Varion took a moment to consider it.

"I intend to when I can, I need all the power I can get to stop the dragon crisis" he replied truthfully. "But then again, I'm not too sure about being here with a thalmor" he added with a bitter tone. Mirabelle gave a humourless chuckle.

"Believe me, there are many that share your view. That jumped up arrogant-" she began a small frustrated tirade, but cut herself off. "I really shouldn't say that, walls have ears in this place. But just know that we have little intention of allowing him to interfere with our college" she said reassuringly. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"So why is he here?" She sighed at that.

"He's Ancano, an 'advisor' to the Arch-Mage, sent here by the thalmor. We don't want him here, he's a nuisance, but we can't throw him out for reasons that I'm sure you already know". Varion nodded.

"Bastards think they can just do whatever they want" he growled, though he forced himself to take a lighter tone with his next words. "He's not important right now. So, want to take me to Urag now?"

"Of course. But I think a tour of the grounds would be warranted as well, seeing as you do intend to study here eventually" she offered instead and Varion shrugged.

"Sure. Sounds good" he replied, and with that the tour began. She took him to the hall where he and his fellow students could stay and gave him a set of enchanted robes for free, as well as introduced him to Enthir, a Bosmer elf who happened to be in the room at the time. She then led to the Hall of Countenance, the place where the teachers slept. She introduced him to a couple of them who were in there, Phinis the conjuration teacher and Drevis, the rather eccentric Illusion master. The meeting with the latter had been rather eventful, with the man believing that he was invisible and being comically disappointed when informed he wasn't. Varion had gotten a chuckle out of that, but Mirabelle seemed completely used to it. She also showed Varion the free-to-use alchemy lab and enchanting stations that were in there and encouraged him to experiment in those fields. "_I do use potions a lot, making my own would save me gold and give me greater variety. Plus, having enchanted gear would be really useful"_ Varion thought to himself and gladly agreed to practice in these more craft-based areas of magic. She eventually led him to the hall of the elements, the main study hall for lectures and practicing. He saw another wizard conducting a lesson there with some other students, but he wasn't here to learn today. Mirabelle directed him through a door and up a staircase to the immediate right and he found himself walking into a very impressive library with a rather grumpy looking orc manning the main desk. "Urag?" he called out in greeting. The orc looked up.

"Yes, that's me. Who are you? A new student?" he asked gruffly, though that just seemed to be a usual way of speaking for orcs.

"Sort of. I'm here looking for an Elder Scroll" he stated simply. To his chagrin, the orc started laughing. And laughing. And kept doing so for at least a solid 15 seconds before he calmed down, at which point his gaze hardened.

"Oh. You were serious."

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion rolled his eyes, this was already not going the way he wanted to. "Yes. I was serious" he repeated in the same tone as the orc had used.. Urag sighed.

"Do you even know what you're asking about? Do you really think that even if I had a scroll here, I'd let you see it? I don't even know who you are!" he ranted, raising his voice slightly as if to emphasise the apparent stupidity of Varions question.

"My name is Varion. I'm the dragonborn. I'm trying to save the world. Tell me what you know about the scrolls" Varion answered tiredly. He'd never had to pull the 'I'm the dragonborn' card so many times in such quick succession and he was quite tired of it. "_Seems people only take you seriously if you're some kind of prophesied hero"_ he complained internally. It also seemed like the reaction to his little revelation lessened each time. Urag barely changed his expression.

"Tell me Varion, what do you know about the Elder Scrolls?" he asked.

"That they're very powerful and very mysterious. That's about it" he answered honestly. "If you're so knowledgeable, tell me more about them" he requested.

"I knew it. Everyone comes to me for help, but they don't even know the right questions to ask" Urag said with exasperation. "You're right about one thing, the Elder Scrolls are instruments of incredible power. To even read one, you need the most finely trained mind and an incredible will, or else risk madness. Even then, the scrolls often take the sight of their readers as a price" he said solemnly. Varion was slightly unnerved. How was he supposed to use it if it could do all this to him? Did he even want to take that chance?

"Who wrote these things?" he asked, figuring it was a simple question. Urag's reaction made him think differently.

"It would take a month to explain to you how that very question doesn't even make sense. The Scrolls exist here, with us, but also beyond and beneath. Before and after. They are bits of Divine made substance so we could know them" Urag rambled, only to be stopped by Varion.

"I asked a question expecting an answer. Not a poetry reading" he snarked. Urag gave a small chuckle.

"Sorry. Talking about the scrolls usually results in annoying metaphors like that. It's easier than trying to speak facts about something so incomprehensible" he apologised.

"I'm almost afraid to ask any more questions, but I've got another one. You said they could take the reader's sight as a price. A price for what?" Urag took a moment to consider how to answer.

"The simplest way to put it is knowledge. Then again, there's nothing simple about the Elder Scrolls. It's a reflection of all possible futures and all possible pasts. Each reader sees different reflections through different lenses, and may come away with a very different reading. But at the same time, all of it is true. Even the falsehoods. Especially the falsehoods" he finished explaining, and Varion swore to never become a scholar of the Elder Scrolls. It sounded far beyond anything he could ever understand.

"_I'll just stick to understandable things. Like stealing souls, and dragons that can bring about an apocalypse"_ he snarked to himself. "So, thanks for the lecture. I'm gonna guess you don't have one based on what you said earlier. Where can I find one?" he asked bluntly. Urag sighed.

"I wish I could tell you. Having an Elder Scroll would be invaluable to the college, but they're not something you just stumble across in a dungeon. However, I might have a lead for you, seeing as you're here to save the world," he offered and Varion leant in closer, curious. "There's an old scholar, Septimus Signus. He was an expert on the Elder Scrolls back in the day, or as much of an expert as you could ever be. If anyone would know where to find one, it would be him" he finished.

"That's a start. Where can I find him?" Varion asked.

"He left a long time ago, years in fact. Went up north in the ice fields. Said he found some ancient dwemer artifact, but I haven't heard from him ever since, and we were close" Urag answered, worry in his tone as he finished.

"I'll find him, don't worry. Thanks" Varion replied, nodding in respect to the librarian. The orc returned the gesture, then turned back to his books. As Varion left the library, he saw the thalmor, Ancano, waiting for him at the stairway. Trying to avoid giving him a death glare, Varion attempted to walk past him, but was stopped by the elf standing in his path.

"I don't recognise you. I take it you're a new student?" he asked, a condescending tone coming from his voice already and he'd only said two sentences. Varion bit back an insulting reply.

"Something like that. What do you want?" he asked bluntly, wanting Ancano out of his way.

"Watch your tone boy" the elf replied sharply. Varion straightened his stance a little, standing slightly taller than Ancano and far, far more muscular. With his beast blood, dragonborn nature and natural strength, he had little doubt that he could break most of the bones in this man's body if they were to fight, assuming he didn't get shot to death with magic. "I am here to observe the college, and build a relationship between this institution and the thalmor. Any new additions to their ranks, naturally, require my attention" he explained. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm a student. Need anything else?" Ancano narrowed his eyes.

"For you to learn some respect" he snarked and Varion decided that giving this guy a death glare was no longer an unreasonable action. To his satisfaction, Ancano looked a tiny bit less sure of himself when confronted with Varions 'pissed off' face. However, he quickly regained his snooty expression. "I need nothing more from you at the current time" he stated.

"Good. Now get out of my way" Varion demanded, walking forward as he said it. This resulted in him practically shouldering Ancano aside and he could almost feel the glare that the elf must've been giving him behind his back. Even with the task that now was ahead of him, that mental image brought a small grin to his face.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The journey across the ice fields wasn't an easy one. Varion and Lydia took their time carefully walking across it, fully aware that falling in this ice cold water was a very real threat. Thanks to Clear Skies, they didn't have to worry about the stormy weather of a snowstorm, but even Varions shout couldn't clear away the strong winds for more than half a minute at most. With luck, they ended up getting all the way to what looked like Septimus' outpost, or at least a large ice structure with a trapdoor at its base and a boat frozen in the ice near it. "Think this is it?" Lydia asked somewhat rhetorically.

"Unless there's some other nutjob living out in these fields" Varion replied sarcastically. He hauled open the trapdoor and dropped down, landing fairly loud. Lydia chose to take the ladder and the pair walked deeper into the icy cave. Varion heard a sound from inside, a man talking to himself. He held up a hand and crouched lower, signalling for Lydia that they needed to proceed quietly. As they crept into what looked more like an open room, they saw a large box of what looked like dwarven design half encased in rock and the man sitting at a table mixing some fire salts. As they approached, he glanced up at them and smiled.

"Ah, welcome to old Septimus' home!" he called out cheerfully. Varion and Lydia exchanged a glance of confusion. "Come on down, I mean you no harm!" he added and Varion cautiously moved down the rock ramp to stand near his table and as he did, the old man rose to greet him.

"Septimus Signus?" Lydia asked tentatively and the old man nodded. "We're here to ask about the Elder Scrolls," she continued.

"The Empire. They absconded with them. Or so they think. The ones they saw. The ones they thought they saw. I know of one. Forgotten. Sequestered. But I cannot go to it, not poor Septimus, for I... I have arisen beyond its grasp" the old man rambled, causing Varion to sigh.

"_I guess Urag wasn't kidding about people going crazy after reading these things"_ he thought with frustration. "Ok, if we can dispense with the metaphors, do you know where a scroll is?" he asked bluntly, causing Septimus to chuckle annoyingly.

"Here" he replied. Before Varion could get his hopes up, the old man continued. "Well, here as in this plane. Mundus. Tamriel. Nearby, relatively speaking" he elaborated before madly chuckling. "In the grand scheme of things, it's all nearby!" he finished before laughing more. Varion had grown tired of this guy before he'd spoken a word and he was quickly getting more annoying by the second.

"Listen old man!" he said with annoyance. "Tell me where the scroll is!" he demanded, raising his voice. Of course, it barely phased the mad scholar.

"Oh ho! A brutish one you are! Septimus has no fear of you!" he replied confidently. "But, as one block lifts another, perhaps you and I, could help each other!" he continued, rhyming his words in a way that made Varion want to put his teeth out. He'd been running all over Skyrim for this destiny of his, climbed the tallest mountain in Skyrim three separate times, dealt with 100 times more Thalmor than he would have liked, and this man was testing his damn patience.

"What do you want?" Lydia spoke, noticing Varions clenched fists.

"You see this Dwemer masterpiece?" he asked, gesturing behind him. "Deep inside their greatest knowings. Septimus is clever among men, but he is but an idiot child compared to the dullest of the Dwemer. Lucky then they left behind their own way of reading the Elder Scrolls. In the depths of Blackreach one yet lies. Have you heard of Blackreach?"

"Never" Varion answered bluntly. He was knowledgeable about the world, he was reasonably educated, but he wasn't one for ancient dwarven history.

"Deep down. Below the dark. The hidden keep. Tower Mzark. The ruin of Alftand" Septimus rambled spookily, as if he was describing some ancient secret treasure rather than just a location. "Delve to its limits, and Blackreach shall be just beyond" he finished cryptically. Varion sighed, this man was exhausting. He then gave them two objects, a sphere that would get them into Blackreach (somehow), and a cube called a lexicon. Apparently it would let them see knowledge from the Elder Scroll without being blinded or driven mad, both of which weren't really desirable outcomes for Varion, so he was grateful for this device. They bode farewell to Septimus and began to leave in a hurry, eager to get out of the madman's house. Lydia was the first out of the cave, Varion letting her climb the ladder first in case Septimus tried to stick a dagger in their backs or something. However, while he gazed down the short ice tunnel, he saw something strange. An odd green portal seemed to faintly be visible at the entrance to the room, and he could've sworn he saw an ethereal tentacle wave around from that portal. He then heard a deep, demonic voice speak slowly.

"Dragonborn" it said, faintly and full of indiscernible emotion. Varion blinked, but the portal remained and more tentacles seemingly emerged from the portal, becoming more visible now and less ethereal. He tensed up and put a hand on his sword.

"Lydia!" he called out, turning up to look at the trap door, wanting her help down here for this fight. However, when he turned his gaze back to the wretched abyss he'd seen, it was completely done, without a single trace of it ever being there.

"My thane?" Lydia called out, concerned for his well being. He shook his head and blinked more, but the strange sight didn't reappear. He climbed out of the outpost at speed, greeting his worried companion.

"Nothing. I'm fine" he lied. Well, half lied. Physically he was perfectly well, but that strange sight had spooked him. He shouted at the sky again to clear the storm that had begun to brew and began the walk over the ice fields, Lydia behind him.

"So, that Septimus man…" Lydia began, trying to make conversation.

"The guy's insane. Those scrolls are dangerous" Varion muttered loud enough for her to hear.

"That about sums it up" she replied.

"I'm not feeling confident about reading one of these now" he continued in honesty, could anyone really be prepared to do that to themselves? Varion thought he had a strong will, but this was something beyond gods.

"If anyone can handle it, it's you," Lydia said reassuringly, placing a hand on his shoulder. Varion took some comfort in that contact before she removed it to help brace against the wind again.

"So, where now?" she asked curiously.

"We're going back to Whiterun. I've got a feeling we'll need our group at full strength to take on this ruin" Varion replied, a smile on his face as he did. Sure, maybe four very powerful adventurers (one being the dragonborn) to take on one ruin was a little overkill, but what could he say? He missed his friends, and what better bonding activity than going hunting for an Elder Scroll?

* * *

A/N:HOLY HECC! An update actually on schedule! What are the odds? I'll try get a new chapter out every Sunday, establish a proper schedule that I can actually end up sticking to.

Yeah, getting back into the flow of writing this story again, got my speed up and I'm actually enjoying it more. Spoiler warning though, don't expect a large detailed run through of Alftand, I hate that ruin…

I hope you guys are enjoying the characterisation of Varion. I feel he sorta got a bit away from my intention for him, lost a bit too much of his bluntness and temper. Given the fact that he's got friends and stuff now, that could be justified, but be assured, these newest developments are really trying his patience. Stay tuned to see how he deals with everything else that's coming his way!

Thank you all for reading! Review, favourite, follow and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	29. Dragon's Wisdom 4 - Delve to the Depths

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

After confrontations with nice master wizard ladies, gruff librarians, dickish thalmor agents (what else is new), crazy old men and evil sounding disembodied voices, Varion and his companions now travel to Alftand in search of the elder scroll in order to defeat Alduin…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

The gates of Whiterun were a welcome sight as Varion and Lydia arrived back home after a day of riding and the guards saluted upon their return, as was the common thing for them to do. Varion didn't care for it, but he'd done so much for the hold that he guessed he held some level of respect amongst the common folk. Unlike the last few times he'd returned home, Varion chose not to immediately fall onto his bed in Breezehome, instead choosing to head right for the companions hall. He dismissed Lydia, telling her to get some rest after all their travelling. Thankfully it wasn't too dark, so Eorlund was still forging away, and he was the first target on Varions 'to see' list. "Ah, Harbinger!" the old blacksmith greeted, reaching across to shake Varions hand.

"It's Varion, and I'm glad to see you Eorlund," the dragonborn replied, returning the greeting. "I hate to do this, but I have a request for you" he added and Eorlund's face gained a small smile.

"Need something forged?" he asked.

"Yes. I think it's high time I got new gear" Varion answered, gesturing to his orcish armour. It had served him well, certainly saved his life multiple times, but it was still stained with the blood of the silver hand, and damaged enough to warrant replacing.

"It'd be my pleasure. What did you have in mind?" Eorlund asked.

"What's the best you can forge?" Varion replied, answering his question with another question.

"Well, if you have the coin, I could whip you up a set of Ebony. Black as midnight, and stronger than most other things in the world besides dragon scales" he suggested. Varion grinned at that.

"I'll take a full set," he said with some enthusiasm, handing over a sizable coin purse.

"Very well. It should be ready within a day or two. Call back up here on Mondas" Eorlund declared, but Varion wasn't done.

"Actually Eorlund, I had another request" he started, causing the blacksmith to raise an eye in interest. "I've got some experience in the field already, but I'd like to learn to smith better" he continued, causing Eorlund to react in surprise.

"You wish to learn my craft? Whatever for?"

"I've got some ideas for things I'd like made. Your work is great, but I'd like to be able to do it myself as well. Plus, I won't always have you or Adrianne to fix up my gear, this way I can do it in the field if I come across a bandit hideout" Varion explained. Eorlund nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"As good a reason as any Varion. I'd be glad to show you what I can. Call in tomorrow, we'll begin your training. I hope you're ready" he said, his tone fairly serious at the last part. Varion simply smirked.

"Of course I am," he replied with confidence before leaving his helmet with Eorlund and jumping off the skyforge. He landed into a roll on the pavement and sprang back to his feet, quickly walking towards the main doors of Jorrvaskr. "_Unnecessary? Yes. Good practice for when it becomes necessary? Also yes"_ he thought to himself. As he entered the hall, he heard cheers erupt, the telltale sign of the companions celebrating their Harbingers return. He couldn't help but let a small smile form on his face, he'd missed this lot.

"Welcome back Varion!" Farkas shouted, greeting him warmly with a pat on the shoulder.

"Good to see you. Where's Aela?" he asked, getting straight to the point. Farkas raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"She's downstairs, just got back from a job a couple hours ago. Why?"

"I hope she's ready for another adventure" is all Varion offered in reply before disappearing into the companions lower levels. He quickly reached her room, giving three strong knocks on her door. Within moments it was open and Aela was standing there with a smile on her face.

"I was wondering when you'd get back," she said, welcoming him in.

"How'd you know it was me?" he asked. She'd been smiling from the second she'd opened the door.

"Who else would knock like they were trying to break down my door?" she joked and Varion scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Ah, sorry" he muttered though Aela waved it off.

"So, what brings you back? Did you find the scroll?" she asked, getting down to business.

"I found out where it is," he replied, getting out his map. "A dwarven ruin called Alftand. It's in the southwest corner of Winterhold" he explained, pointing it out on the map. He then glanced at Aela. "How do you feel about another treasure hunt?" To his relief, she smiled.

"Do you even have to ask?" she replied with excitement. "The chance to find an elder scroll? No-one would pass that up. When do we leave?" Varion grinned, glad to have her on board.

"I've got Eorlund making me some new armour, figured it was time for an upgrade. Once that's done, we'll be on our way. Should take a couple of days". Aela's expression soured slightly, she was clearly hoping to get going immediately, but she kept her enthusiastic glow.

"I'll be ready whenever you are. Who's coming with?" she asked.

"Lydia and Faendal. We've proven a fairly effective team so far" Varion reasoned, and Aela nodded in understanding.

"It'll be nice to see Lydia again, and we can see if the elf's gotten any better at aiming that bow of his" she said keenly, eagerly anticipating the inevitable archery competition, and victory that would probably come to her. The dragonborn chuckled, having grown fond of her competitive spirit.

"Glad to see you excited," he replied, moving to leave the room. "I'll call in when it's time for us to leave. Stay sharp" he said in farewell, and Aela nodded in response before immediately gathering her weapons and setting out to do some training. As Varion climbed the stairs and began to leave Jorrvaskr, his mind drifted. "_Just like that,"_ he thought. "_I just ask, and she'll follow me into danger with complete faith"_ he continued, his mind turning darker. "_How did I inspire such trust? What did I do to deserve her loyalty?"_ he wondered, doubt creeping into his every thought. However, he then remembered something else, something far brighter. A white beard and hair, black war paint on his face, a kind expression. He pictured Kodlak Whitemane, the old man who had let him into the companions, who'd first given him a home and purpose. "_He even did his best to help tame the raging dragon inside my soul"_ he mused, reflecting now fondly upon his memories of the old man. Their time together hadn't been nearly long enough, only a few months, but he'd miss him forever. The thing that stuck with him most though, was what Kodlak had written in his journal, where he had proclaimed his faith in Varion to lead the companions. He'd never seen it in himself, yet Kodlak did, and he was a far better judge of character than the dragonborn was.

"_Lead the companions to glory Varion. I hope someday you find the peace you seek"_. Those had been Kodlak's last words to him, and Varion's lips formed into a small smile upon reflecting on them.

"_I'll do my best to repay your faith in me Kodlak, and everyone else who follows me"_ he thought with determination and a distinct lack of doubt in his mind.

**X-X-X-X-X**

It had been four days since Varion's return and he was finally ready to get going. He'd appreciated the rest of course, spending his time training with the companions, practicing his healing spells and learning advanced smithing techniques, he missed the feeling of being on the road, wandering the world, even if he had a destination already in mind. Eorlund watched him with interest as he put his new armour on. The jet black metal shone in the sun as he put on his pants, chestplate, boots and gauntlets. The armour was heavier than his orcish set, but not by much, and with how much stronger he'd got since getting to Skyrim, this would hardly slow him down. He rolled his shoulders, trying to get a good feel for his new gear. It certainly felt stronger than his old stuff, and the lack of bloodstains was certainly a welcome touch. He touched the ebony gear and thought back to one of his oldest memories. "_Huh. I vowed to become just like him one day, and here I am wearing the same armour. Funny how things turn out"_ he thought to himself with an internal chuckle, but he forced himself back to the present. While the memory he thought back to was one of the ones that had shaped his life for the better, it was also closely associated with several others that had also done so, but in negative ways, therefore being significantly not fun to remember. He grabbed the Blade of Whiterun, freshly polished, and sheathed it on his back. He also grabbed the katana that he'd gotten from Sky Haven Temple and sheathed it at his side. He was reminded of the days when he carried a bow, a dagger on his thigh, twin swords and a greatsword and grimaced. There was no need to be such a walking armoury. That being said, he still did have his dagger and greatsword and one out of two one-handed swords, but they weighed him down far less than his previous 5 weapons. "_Besides, this stuff is a lot more high quality,"_ he added mentally.

"You look ready to go to war" Eorlund murmured quietly, admiring his handiwork. Despite Varions progress, he'd happily let Eorlund handle most of the work on his armour.

"I am. It's a war against the dragons, for the sake of Skyrim" he replied while still adjusting himself, throwing a few punches to test that everything was attached properly. "_And the sake of the world"_ he thought grimly, but he didn't tell him that. So far, only Lydia knew about the fact that Varion's quest was about the fate of the world, literally, instead of it just being a line in a song. "This is fine work Eorlund, as ever" he commented, turning to face the blacksmith.

"At the rate you're going, you'll be forging this before long. You learn quickly, did you smith before becoming a companion?" he asked. Varion adjusted his gauntlet.

"In a way. I was a bounty hunter for 7 years before arriving in Skyrim, my father was teaching me to forge years before that. I just took his teachings and kept going. Had a good set of gear before I wound up in Helgen" he explained. By now, all the companions knew how Varion had arrived in Skyrim and was technically an ex-criminal, but he'd more than proven himself honourable, they had no concerns with his past. "_Or what they know of it"_ he thought to himself darkly before rolling his shoulders, satisfied with his armour. He grabbed his helmet from Eorlund's workbench and nodded to the old smith.

"Well you certainly have talent. I could see you manning the skyforge in another few decades" Eorulund remarked and Varion was honestly taken aback. This was high praise from one of the greatest smiths in Skyrim. Hell, it was praise from him at all, that alone was a rare thing.

"My thanks, though I've got no intention of replacing you" he reassured, putting his helmet in his pouch until it was time to wear it. "I'll be seeing you around" he said in farewell, waving as he descended the stairs of the skyforge and began the walk down to the main gates, passing through the wind and plains districts. The people of Whiterun usually gave him a wave or a smile as he passed by and he responded with a civil nod and a slightly less neutral expression on his face. A hero he may have been prepared to be, a celebrity he was not, yet that was the role he now had to play. "_Crazy how life has played out for me"_ he thought to himself absentmindedly. Aela was waiting for him at the gate along with Lydia, each geared up for the coming trek. They were both excited, having not been on a big adventure like this in some time and their gear reflected their enthusiasm. Aela carried the shield of Ysgramor alongside a new ebony sword that Varion had found in a dungeon, quite the upgrade to her previous skyforge steel dagger. Lydia was now wearing her own set of Orcish armour, Varion having paid for Adrianne to smith it, seeing as Eorlund was busy with his own. "_I'll have to see about getting some enchantments"_ he thought to himself, wanting even better protection for himself and his friends. After exchanging some greetings, the trio began the trek to Riverwood, reaching it in about an hour.

"Varion! It's been too long!" Faendal greeted as he shook hands with the dragonborn.

"Indeed it has my friend. Ready for another adventure?" he asked in response. He'd sent Lydia to tell Faendal about their upcoming journey and the Bosmer had responded keenly, saying he'd been eager to get out and test his skills again. Apparently Varion's adventures had caused Faendal to take up training extra hard in order to keep up.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. Finding an Elder Scroll sounds a lot more exciting than the average hunts I get up to" Faendal replied, rolling his shoulder to loosen up the muscles as he did. Now united, the team walked back to the Whiterun stables and saddled up. While travelling on foot was Varions preference, horses would get them there much faster and it would be less taxing for his companions apart from Aela, seeing as the other two didn't have beast blood. The ride was certainly a long one and Winterhold is certainly a colder part of Skyrim, but a full powered Fire Breath shout certainly cleared a path through the snow and warmed up the area a little, plus they didn't have to deal with a snowstorm thanks to Clear Skies. They'd left early in the morning so they arrived at the ruin just as the sun was starting to set, and they arrived at a strange encampment.

"Deserted tents and equipment, filled and covered with more snow than your average mountain" Aela pondered, examining the leftovers of the campsite of whoever had been there before.

"Must've been abandoned for a few days now at least. Someone else must've gone into the ruin" Varion theorised, looking over it just as Aela did.

"Think they came out?" Faendal asked, though he was fairly sure he knew the answer already.

"Doubtful. This equipment would have cost a fair few septims, they wouldn't just leave it behind" Lydia replied. "I bet we'd still find them inside, or whatever's left of them" she added grimly. Varion sighed with sadness. He was no stranger to death, but that didn't make discovering the bodies of dead adventurers fun.

"Let's get inside. Beats waiting out here the whole time, it's cold" Faendal suggested, moving towards the entrance of the ruin over a precarious wooden bridge, the others taking their turn to follow him one at a time. They arrived at the door, only to find it frozen shut. Varion kicked the door, only to cause mild pain to his foot.

"Damn it" Varion muttered. "YOL!" His fire breath slammed into the door, unsealing it and melting the ice. Varion then shoved the door open and walked inside, holding it open for his companions. Once they were all in the ruin, he let the door close, glancing around the dark ruin and preparing for whatever may lie inside.

"Ever been in a dwarven ruin?" Aela asked the rest of them. A collection of shrugs and head shakes was what she got in response. "Well, first time for everything" she said with a sigh, choosing to lead the way into the ruin.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"What in Oblivion are these things?" Lydia complained as she tore her sword out of a mechanical spider. Varion glanced over, she was killing the last one. They'd not been in the ruin for 5 minutes and already they'd come under attack from a swarm of little mechanical spiders. They'd been beaten easily enough, but they hit with surprising force.

"Dwarven spiders. Tiny little automatons. Not tough to kill, but good luck finding just one" Aela complained, examining the broken body of one for anything useful. Varion did the same, finding a few valuable gems and soul gems, pocketing them for future use.

"Not tough to kill? My sword can barely cut through them!" Faendal complained, picking up his arrows from around the battlefield.

"They're made of metal. It's hard for your average weapon to cut it, it's easier to use blunt force, like from a mace or warhammer. Though, they do have a weakness to fire" Aela noted, glancing at Varion.

"Lucky me" he commented, finishing his scavenging. "I really should pick up on enchanting. Our gear could use an upgrade" he added absentmindedly, gesturing to all of his companions.

"It would be nice. We look positively underpowered compared to you" Faendal replied, having finished refilling his quiver.

"Should spend your gold on equipment instead of flowers for Camilla" Varion snarked back. Faendal mumbled a reply, then turned back to looking through the room for stuff. They continued to move through the ruins, cutting down spiders and another kind of automaton, the dwarven sphere, which could be fought in a more traditional sense than the spiders. Annoyingly, Varion discovered that they possessed great resistance to the Unrelenting Force shout, his go to thu'um. Two words barely made them budge, though three was still enough to topple them. He made a note to continue honing his voice to circumvent this weakness when they got out of the ruin. They passed by several chests full of Dwarven treasure with Faendal and Aela in particular taking all the arrows they found. However, they then found bedrolls and a journal.

"I guess these people are who set up camp outside" Varion guessed, reading through the book with concern. "Seems like a couple Khajit's were among the party, judging by the names," he continued. "Based on this, it sounds like one of them is out of his mind" he finished, frowning as he saw words talking of the disappearance of one of the researchers at the same time as the addict had started hallucinating.

"Skooma. What a disgusting creation" Faendal groaned, holding an arrow in his hand. "What do we do if we find the brother?" he asked, and Varion noticed that they were all looking for his guidance. He frowned again.

"We'll give him one chance to explain himself. Otherwise he dies" he answered simply, moving deeper into the ruin while keeping his sword drawn. The others exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed along. It wasn't long before Varions ears twitched and he held up his hand, hearing insane ramblings coming from around the corner. "_Something about skooma. Sounds like we found our lunatic"_ he thought, groaning internally. He looked over at Aela and she nodded, confirming that her senses had picked up on it as well.

"Careful. He'll be wild" she warned. The dragonborn nodded and rounded the corner, making a note to stamp his foot loud enough to hear. The khajit turned to him, eyes crazed, ranting about how they'd taken his skooma. It took three seconds for him to start charging, two to reach Varion, and one for his head to be cut from his body. Varion glanced over at the dead body of another Khajit and the bloody knife in the addicts hand. He sighed, yet another pointless death in the world. Their journey continued as standard, cutting down Dwemer constructions every so often, but things got interesting when they encountered a new kind of enemy. Varion walked around a corner as casually as he had the last twenty, but then noticed a humanoid figure in the hallway. It was hairless, had the ears of an elf, and it's face was twisted, horrific, yet carrying hatred of an unbelievable scale. He also noticed that the things' eyes were gone.

"I don't even want to know what you are" he muttered, which apparently upset the creature enough for it to move in on him and attack. He used his sword to intercept the attack, bracing slightly against the surprising force of the blow. He delivered a harsh kick to the creature's leg, forcing it down onto one knee before slamming his own knee into its face, knocking it over. He then impaled it through the head with his blade and he saw the creatures motionless as a sign of death.

"A falmer. I should have known" Aela sighed.

"What's a falmer?" Lydia asked curiously, wondering why Aela said it with such dread and hatred.

"The falmer used to be snow elves, the original citizens of Skyrim" Faendal began to explain as the party stopped to listen. "During the war with the nords, they faced extinction, so they went underground, made an agreement with the dwarves. In exchange for their protection, the snow elves would be blinded" he said solemnly. Varion found himself clenching his fist at hearing this.

"Desperate as they were, they agreed. However, the dwarves were a cruel race. First it was the blinding, then the servitude, then the slavery" Aela continued, taking over from Faendal. These twisted monsters are all that remain of them" she finished. Lydia looked pretty upset and Varion couldn't blame her.

"That's horrible" she whispered softly. Varion growled a little.

"All the more reason for us to put them out of their misery" he said harshly, causing his companions to look at him with relatively wide eyes. Noticing this, he pushed the anger back down inside of himself and shrugged off their worried looks. "_No, don't let it come back. I've been holding it back fine for all this time"_ he commanded himself mentally, not wanting his dragon nature to rear it's metaphorical head again. They continued through the ruin, except now they had to kill Falmer as well.

"Watch out for their weapons. The bastards have an affinity for poison!" Aela called out as she thrust her shield into the chest of an attacking falmer. Varion grabbed the wrist of his newest attacker and swung his sword down, cutting the respective arm off at the elbow. The pained shriek of the twisted elf was painful to listen to, but cutting it's face in half horizontally thankfully shut it up.

"Won't be much of a problem for me" Faendal pointed out, firing an arrow straight into the eye of yet another Falmer. Despite the fact that they weren't incredibly powerful, they were numerous, and that alone was enough for the team to take it seriously.

"Yeah, not all of us have an inbuilt poison resistance!" Varion snarked. He turned to a group of Falmer that didn't have any of his allies near it. "YOL TOOR!" A torrent of flame engulfed the room and the falmer, bringing forth a sickening smell of burning flesh as they writhed in agony. Varion quickly made his way through with his katana, easily delivering mercy kills to each burning enemy. "_Great. I just got new armour and it's already been dirtied with blood"_ he complained absentmindedly. Whether it was his confidence, his power, his nature or all three, he didn't really feel threatened by the elves. Breathing deeply, he sheathed the blade, glancing around the room to see it full of dead Falmer and his allies standing relatively unharmed.

"I'd really like to avoid doing that again" Lydia sighed, panting from exhaustion. Varion grimaced. She wasn't dragonborn, a werewolf, or blessed with resistance to poison, she would of course be having a harder time than any of the others. He tossed her over a healing potion and a stamina potion.

"Here, have a little pick me up" he offered, gulping back a stamina potion himself. He wasn't in need of healing, not yet, but even he was feeling a little strained and it was better to be safe than sorry. Lydia accepted it gratefully and after drinking, the group continued on their way. Eventually they came to what looked like a central chamber, only to find Aela hurriedly stopping them from going further.

"A dwarven centurion" she pointed out, gesturing to a large automaton that was standing near what looked like a gate. A naive adventurer would have seen it as a statue.

"Bad news?" Varion whispered, not sure if that thing would be set off by sound.

"You could say that. I've never heard of anyone taking it on alone and coming out on top. Thankfully, we should be enough to handle it together," she replied. "They're strong, very strong, and they can breathe hot steam, so you can't stay too close or too far away," she continued. Varion pondered for a few moments, then came up with an idea and smirked.

"You say no-ones ever taken on one of these things alone?" he asked innocently.

"That I've heard of. Why?" Aela asked back, suspicion laced heavily into her tone.

"First time for everything" Varion answered with confidence and began to move towards the centurion. Aela facepalmed and crept out quickly behind him, with Faendal choosing to draw back an arrow and provide cover for them if the need arose, all while questioning Varions sanity in this moment.

"Are you insane?! I told you that they're dangerous!" Aela whispered furiously, keeping her voice down all the while.

"You also said they're weak to fire" Varion replied casually, gripping the Blade of Whiterun as he did.

"Your sword isn't powerful enough to cut through that thing! Not before it crushes you!"

"Never said I was using my sword" he said cryptically. Aela's eyes widened before they narrowed again.

"Look, I'm no expert at this dragon language stuff, but I don't think the fire breath you used earlier will be enough to melt this thing! It's a lot tougher than some falmer! You can't do this alone!" she hissed angrily, causing the dragonborn to suddenly tense in anger himself. Who was she to tell him his limits?

"Stop doubting me!" he retorted harshly, causing Aela to flinch back. Regret immediately flooded Varions mind and face, though the latter fact couldn't really be seen under the ebony helmet. "Just watch me. I'll be fine" he added softly, though he could tell that he'd let his temper get the better of him again and he'd probably need to talk to Aela about this privately.

"Ok" she replied softly, staying back and drawing an arrow, watching Varion get dangerously close to the centurion which miraculously hadn't awoken yet. When he was standing about 4 meters away, Varion took one more step and watched with some degree of dread as the machine stepped forward, having seemingly come alive now and it was focused on him. His dread was then replaced with anger and he used Aela's earlier words and his frustrations as fuel.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" he roared, using the full power of the shout to roast the centurion before it could take another step. The torrent of flame was intense and when it faded, the damage it had done was very noticeable. While it didn't melt the automaton, it was burnt to hell and one of its arms fell off from the damage. Varion smirked, taking his sword and slicing it across the left leg, causing it to topple over onto its right side. A quick decapitation finished it off and he grinned darkly. He'd gotten quite the rush from that and he took a deep breath to calm down from it.

"Show off" Aela muttered somewhat light heartedly as she walked past him to the gate. He looked inside the centurion in what appeared to be a storage compartment and fished a key out which he then tossed to Aela. Upon opening the gate, they made their way into a dead end chamber with an odd pedestal at the far end. Thanks to their wolf eyes, Varion and Aela made out a circular slot on the pedestal and Varion remembered the attunement sphere that Septimus had given him. He reached into his bag and felt it in his hand.

"I guess this is it" he said rhetorically and stepped forward, only to stop when he heard two voices arguing.

"More of the adventurers from earlier?" Lydia said with irritation, drawing her sword as she did.

"It would appear so" Faendal replied with equal frustration. As the two voices rounded the corner and the warriors set their sights on Varion and his allies, it was clear that they weren't friendly. Unlike the skooma addict, these two were actually decent fighters, not that it mattered against a trained housecarl, an elite companion and the dragonborn, all with an excellent Bosmer archer putting an arrow in each of them before they got within sword distance.

"Well, that's that" Varion growled as he wiped their blood off his sword, kicking the male ones decapitated head across the room in disgust.

"You'd think they'd try to be friendly" Lydia snarked. "I mean, we did kill that centurion for them. And all the falmer. How did they even get to this point if all of those bastards were still alive? How'd they get through the gate?" she asked in annoyance. Varion actually chuckled at that.

"I've asked that question many times," he replied in a far lighter tone than he'd used all day. He was fond of Lydia's snarky sense of humour, usually reserved for complaining about seemingly illogical events or circumstances. He got the attunement sphere from his pouch and placed it in the slot. He then watched behind the pedestal as the floor began to sink away in segments, revealing a staircase leading down even deeper underground. "Well Septimus, looks like you weren't completely crazy," he spoke out loud, giving some credit to the old bastard.

"Shall we Varion?" Aela asked, gesturing for him to lead the way. Under his helmet, Varion smiled. It seemed that he wouldn't need to awkwardly apologise for his earlier outburst after all. He nodded and they walked down the stairs together. After around 30 seconds, they arrived at a set of doors and an experimental push found them unlocked.

"This must be the doors to Blackreach" Lydia commented, remembering Septimus' words from earlier.

"Aela, you've been the expert so far. You know anything on Blackreach?" Varion asked out of curiosity, not really expecting much.

"I never heard of it before now" she replied with a shrug. "Never had one of those fancy sphere things either to let me get in," she added. Varion nodded with understanding, it made sense.

"Well, we're here now. Let's find this damn scroll" he declared, pushing open the doors to some of the deepest depths in Skyrim.

* * *

**A/N:**I told you I'd try to keep to a schedule! With all the COVID-19 stuff going on, I've got a lot of free time, and what better use of it than to write this? Speaking of that virus, I really hope everyone out there is staying home and staying safe during this difficult time!

This chapter turned out to be a surprisingly long one. Consider it making up for the shorter ones recently. I managed to breeze through Alftand easy enough, it wasn't painful to write, but don't expect Blackreach to have this much detail in it! Also, get hyped. Only a couple more chapters before we get to the really awesome plot stuff!

Review, favourite and follow and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	30. Dragon's Wisdom 5 - Ancient Knowledge

**Last time on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion got some new gear, and he and his team assaulted Alftand in search of the Elder Scroll. After a very long trek, they have arrived at the underground city of Blackreach, where their goal awaits…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

Varion hadn't known what to expect when he first stepped into Blackreach, but he was stunned by its beauty. The cavern was immense and lit with an almost supernatural blue glow from what looked like massive versions of the glowing mushroom. He glanced around, taking note of all the dwemer buildings that still stood after all this time. Judging by the sudden breaths of his companions, they were feeling the same awe he was. "It's incredible," Lydia said softly, her eyes mesmerised.

"To think, there was this city underneath Skyrim this whole time" Aela commented with admiration in her tone, though her eyes quickly narrowed. "And of course there's more of them down here" she groaned, pointing to the Falmer that she'd sighted. Varion sighed in annoyance, couldn't he just have an easy time for once?

"Ok, enough sightseeing. We're going to explore this ruin, look for the tower of Mzark. That's where we'll find the scroll. Don't engage the Falmer unless we have to. This place is big enough to avoid them" he reasoned, gaining understanding nods from his companions. "The old geezer didn't say what the tower looked like, so I think we just head to the tallest structure in the place. Oh, and don't go near that giant glowing orb" he added, pointing to the object of his command as he did. Hanging above what looked like the primary structure of Blackreach was a large orange sphere. "_No idea what it is, but I don't think we want to find out"_ he thought with some trepidation. The group began their slow trek around Blackreach, heading towards a tall tower looking thing in the relative distance. Of course they weren't able to sneak past all the enemies, mainly because for all his planning, Varion was no sneak and often just decided to fight through them anyway.

"I'm just glad we didn't run into a Chaurus" Faendal sighed as he plucked an arrow out of their latest kill. Aela nodded in agreement as she began cleaning the blood off of her sword, taking the brief moment of rest that they'd found in between fights.

"A chaurus?" Lydia asked, unsure of what they were talking about.

"It's like a giant insect thing. Spits enough poison to cripple a whole bandit camp, or thereabouts. Tough bastards" Varion explained, resuming the walk towards the tower.

"You know about them?" Faendal asked in surprise. So far, Varion had largely been in the dark about what they'd been doing or fighting.

"I was a bounty hunter for years. Sometimes, when there's no bandits, people want big animals killed. I've fought a few of them in my time, hated it on every occasion" he explained with a shudder. One such fight had seen him in agony for the next two days while healers purged the poison from his body, a direct bite from these things was crippling.

"Huh. Interesting. I've taken on two in my life, but being Bosmer means I have more of an edge than most others" Faendal replied as they continued walking. "Besides, range does have it's benefits. Why don't you use a bow more often Varion?" Faendal asked curiously. The dragonborn shrugged.

"I used to, but it never felt as right as close ranged swordplay. Besides, now I can shout energy and breath fire. Those cover my ranged options" he answered truthfully. "Besides, I carry enough weapons already," he added, subconsciously adjusting his sword on his back to fit more comfortably. The group continued moving through Blackreach relatively unopposed, taking their time to admire the surroundings.

"The dwemer were a cruel race" Faendal began, referencing the Falmer. "But they were a brilliant one" he continued, gesturing to the various buildings and constructions that filled this massive underground city. Varion nodded.

"It's quite hard to take in" he replied in agreement, glancing around at every opportunity. However, he had to remind himself and the others that they weren't there to sightsee and they could be attacked at any point. They focused themselves and soon they made it to what they hoped was the tower of Mzark. "_Well, it's big, it's a tower. As good a place to start as any"_ Varion reasoned to himself, placing a hand on the door. However, he paused.

"Something wrong my thane?" Lydia asked.

"Just a side note. We're definitely coming back here. This place is great" he replied with a small grin before shoving the doors open and walking inside. The others followed him in, Lydia with a slightly less happy expression at the notion of her, the non poison resistant, non companion, non dragonborn housecarl, having to come back and explore this death cavern in the future. Varion noticed this and chuckled. "_I guess actively seeking out danger isn't everyone's cup of mead"_ he noted mentally. They then made it to a hexagonal section of the room with a lever in the middle.

"Ah, another new experience for you Varion" Aela spoke, regarding the device with familiarity. At his curious head tilt, she explained. "This is an elevator, another Dwemer invention. It's like a platform, and when you pull the lever, it carries you directly up or down" she explained.

"Huh. Clever" he remarked, looking at the 'elevator' with a little apprehension.

"Don't worry. You've slain dragons, I'm sure you can handle one of these" Aela teased, causing the dragonborn to roll his eyes. To her credit, she was right. It was a very stable ride, Varion not even feeling the need to balance. As they arrived at a new set of doors, Varion shoved them open to find that they were now in a larger chamber filled with chests and other loot. They passed by a few chests, retrieving some gear, jewels or trinkets for their troubles. Varion let his friends take whatever they wanted, he wasn't there for gold or equipment, especially with what Eorlund had made for him. He did pocket some gemstones though, small and light and valuable, the perfect saleable commodity. They then moved into the next chamber and were shocked once again. Just in front of them was a gigantic metal… thing, and it took up nearly the entire room, at least from what they could see.

"What is that?" Lydia asked curiously, totally unsure what to make of it.

"I don't know, but…" Varion closed his eyes, feeling something pulsing from within the metal construct. He placed his hand on it and focused. "The scroll is in here. Or very near here" he declared, keeping his voice level despite the excitement and relief he was now feeling.

"Great. Let's get it and get out" Faendal said in response, failing to hide his joy of the dungeon crawl being over.

"It's a dwarven thing. It's not going to be that simple" Varion warned, before beginning to make his way around the thing, going up a ramp that spiralled around it as he did. He soon came to the peak of the ramp, now standing on a platform where he could look forward and down on the big metal thing. There were four pedestals, each containing a button in them, though all pedestals on the left had their buttons covered. There was a fifth pedestal to the far right with what looked like a place to put something.

"My thane, could the lexicon go there?" Lydia theorised. Varion shrugged and put it there, giving Lydia a thumbs up when it clicked into place.

"So, we've got the cube in place. Now what do we do?" he asked the group. They all shrugged, having truly no idea what to do with any of this. Varion pushed the button that wasn't covered and flinched as the machinery started whirring and making noises. Once he and the others were sure that they weren't in any danger, Varion pressed the button again and more noises whirred. He did this twice more, then noticed the button get sealed off like the ones on the left. He frowned, then pushed the second button the same number of times. Once he finished, the lexicon began to glow blue, the lines on it lighting up. The clamps that had held it in place detached and Varion removed it from the mechanism. The covers on the left had retracted, revealing the second pair of buttons.

"There is no way it can be this easy" Aela said indecorously. "Even those nordic puzzle doors are more complex than this!" Varion put a hand to his chin in thought.

"This isn't meant to be a puzzle. This is just a tool for reading the scroll" he answered, or at least gave his own theory on it. He pushed the two new buttons four times each, watching as the machinery overhead whirred around the room. At the final button push, a compartment in the giant metal storage thing opened and a crystal rose out of it. The mechanical clamps then took hold of each side of the crystal and pulled back, revealing something inside. In excitement, Varion leapt over the balcony (hearing the audible simultaneous face-palm from Lydia and Aela as he did so) and quickly ran over to look closer. He saw the shining scroll, and he felt his mouth drop open slightly. It was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen, and judging by the sharp intake of breath made by his companions when they got as close as he did, he wasn't alone in thinking that way.

"It's…" Lydia trailed off.

"An Elder Scroll. We actually found an Elder Scroll!" Aela quietly cheered. "They'll be singing songs about this in Jorrvaskr for decades!"

"When you first came to me in Riverwood all those months ago Varion, I never imagined it would lead to a moment like this" Faendal said, clapping his friend on the shoulder. The dragonborn reached out and gently removed the scroll from it's holdings.

"_Heavier than I thought"_ he complained mentally, though that couldn't keep the smile off his face. "We did it" he said softly, a little overwhelmed by the fact that he now held one of the most powerful things in the world in his hands, and a little nervous about how much closer he'd just gotten to facing his destiny.

**X-X-X-X-X**

After retrieving the lexicon, the team had found another elevator to take them out of the ruin and back up to the surface. Rather annoyingly, they'd come up in a chamber about 15 meters away from their horses, meaning that they likely could've skipped the whole trek if Varion had simply destroyed the door barring their way which they now opened with a lever. "Well, time to get back home!" Faendal said in celebration, already making his way towards his mount.

"Actually, I've got something to take care of in Winterhold first," Varion explained, adjusting the Elder Scroll which was now tied to his back overtop of his greatsword. "I'll see all of you when I get back. Yes Lydia, that includes you" he added with a smirk, cutting off his housecarls protests before they could even start.

"My thane, why do you wish to return there? Shouldn't you go to the throat of the world?" Lydia asked, confused as to his new objective.

"Septimus wanted the lexicon in exchange for his help. It'd be wrong of me to not follow through on our deal, especially as he did lead us to the elder scroll" Varion reasoned.

"I guess you're right, but please be careful. The man is insane" Lydia said more quietly. Varion smirked.

"He's also 5'7 and looks about 80 years old. Trust me, I'll be alright" he replied reassuringly before Lydia finally conceded defeat and agreed to return to Whiterun hold with the others. They grabbed the horses and after saying goodbye to the others, Varion set off for Winterhold. The ride wasn't too bad, seeing as Alftand was already in Winterholds south west corner. Within hours he arrived at the ice fields, just as the sun was beginning to come up. "_We must've been in that ruin for hours"_ Varion thought to himself with mild annoyance. Whenever delving through a place like that it was easy to lose a sense of time. It felt like they'd been in there for at least a day, though that had just been his frustration exaggerating the duration of the endeavour to his mind. He stepped to the ice fields and tied up his horse before breathing deeply. He'd been coming up with this plan to cross the ice fields since they had ridden back to Whiterun after their first visit to Septimus, and now that Lydia wasn't here, he was free to try it out. "WULD!" he shouted, feeling himself be catapulted forward. Though the shout only carried him so far, he felt himself slide across the ice, his momentum carrying him a considerable distance. He smirked, this felt awesome. He repeated his technique a few more times and before he knew it, he was already at Septimus' outpost. He dropped back into the little ice cave and spoke to the old man again.

"Ah, you've returned, and you bring the lexicon!" Septimus cried excitedly. Varion rolled his eyes, this could get annoying real quick.

"Yeah, got the scroll too. Here" he replied, handing the cube over to the hermit. He snatched it out of Varions hands with a crazed enthusiasm and looked at it almost reverently. "Incredible…" he whispered, before mumbling more words.

"What does it show?" Varion asked curiously. He'd looked at it before, but he couldn't make sense of whatever he had seen.

"The sealing structure can only be loosened by the blood of the dwemer, but none remain to bear it…" Septimus trailed off, seemingly deep in thought. "Of course!" he suddenly exclaimed, causing Varion to flinch slightly. "A panoply of their brethren could gather to form a facsimile! A trick! Something even they did not expect! No, not even them!" he declared. Varion rolled his eyes.

"Translate that into words I can understand" he asked tiredly.

"Oh seeker of the scroll, if you wish to aid Septimus, gather the blood of the elves!" he said, turning his attention back to Varion. "Alter, Bosmer, Orisimer, Falmer, Dunmer, a combination of their blood can create the key to open the box!" he explained, handing Varion a strange looking device. "The extractor will drink the fresh blood of elves. Return when you have the set!" he added. Varion looked the extractor over, noting the sharp needle.

"_Well, I could butcher a few Thalmor for the Altmer blood"_ Varion thought with grim excitement. He'd get to kill Thalmor and put it towards a productive cause, win win. He could get the other bloods except Falmer easily just by exploring bandit camps and he'd just head back to Blackreach for the Snow Elf blood. "Wait a minute gramps," he replied, returning to his skeptical ways. "Why do you want this thing open so badly?" he asked. Septimus' eyes lit up with enthusiasm and wonder.

"The box contains the heart of a god, Lorkhan. They thought it was destroyed by the Nerevarine, but my master knew otherwise. He led me to it. The heart of a god, the encompassing nature of divinity, makes the Elder Scrolls appear to be a passing thought" he said reverently. Varion rolled his eyes, but kept the mention of this mans 'master' in the back of his mind.

"_I'll need to find out who that is. No doubt something bad"_ he thought with some level of dread. He nodded, took the extractor and quickly made his way out of the cave. However, when he got to the entrance of the mini tunnel leading to the ladder, he quickly drew his sword and got into a fighting stance. Blocking his path was the same wretch of tentacles that he'd thought he'd seen the other day, except these were very tangible and now had eyeballs mixed in.

"Come closer…" it spoke slowly in a deep voice. "Bask in my presence…" it added. Varion decided that remaining a noticeable distance away from this wretched abyss was hardly an unreasonable choice.

"What in Oblivion are you?" he asked, keeping a tight grip on his sword. The… thing, actually chuckled at this.

"An apt choice of words. I am Hermaeus Mora, Daedric prince of fate and destiny" it explained. "I have been watching you for some time. Your exploits are most impressive" he complimented. Varion frowned.

"I take it you want something from me? Requiring the talents you've seen?" he guessed.

"You continue to render Septimus obsolete with your actions. You retrieved the Elder Scroll, you will retrieve the blood, all things he cannot do. Once he has opened the box, he will serve no purpose to me" Hermaeus explained. Varion frowned at hearing this, he'd heard that the daedra were somewhat predictable in the fact that they'd betray you the second you stopped being useful. "I wish for you to take the place as my champion, once the box is open. What say you?" Varion thought this over. On one hand, his logical mind said 'don't bargain with the giant tentacle demon thing from another plane', and his less logical side was agreeing with it.

"_However, having a Daedric prince as an 'ally'..."_ he thought, considering the possible benefits. His dragon nature bubbled within him, his lust for power rising. "What do I get out of this alliance?" he asked carefully.

"The benefits of serving me are numerous, as others have discovered" Hermaeus replied. The way he said that sentence made it sound like he was implying something deeper, but Varion thought nothing of it.

"Let's get one thing straight. I'm not going to become your slave" Varion retorted. "If I do this, gather this blood, help Septimus open this thing, my reward had better be damn worth it" he demanded. To his irritation, the demon simply chuckled slowly.

"Open the box, and all shall be revealed" he replied in farewell. Varion watched as the tentacles faded out of this plane and soon, it was as if they had never been there at all. Glancing around, he reluctantly sheathed his sword.

"Give me a damn break…" he growled, climbing out of the cave, eager to get away from this place. "Seems like all the crazy stuff happens in there…"

**X-X-X-X-X**

A few days of rest in Whiterun was enough to get Varions mind off his encounter with Hermaeus Mora, though he'd now turned his focus to even more daunting matters. "_Someday soon, I read an Elder Scroll"_ he thought with a mixture of excitement and great dread as he put his armour on early in the morning on a Sundas. He knew that this was the only way to learn the shout he would apparently need to stop Alduin, Dragonrend, but the idea of reading the thing now lying on one of his weapon racks still made him nervous. "_Septimus was driven insane by these things, and here I am about to read one"_ he continued to think, his mood dropping.

"My thane?" Lydia asked from his doorway where she'd come in and no doubt seen the troubled look on his face.

"It's nothing Lydia" he replied dismissively, but he already knew she wouldn't buy that.

"Varion…" she said with a knowing tone and he gave a humourless chuckle.

"You saw Septimus Lydia. I'm about to read the thing that drove him nuts. Willingly" he answered, giving his worries audible form.

"My thane, you have one of the strongest, most stubborn wills I've ever seen. I know you'll be fine" she replied, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad one of us believes that" Varion responded, though he knew she'd know what he really meant behind that statement.

"You sure you don't want me to come?" she asked for the third time in two days. Varions lips twitched upwards at her insistence, but his answer remained the same.

"I can't bring you Lydia. This is something I have to do alone" he replied, the same way as he'd done the last two times. Her sigh of exasperation was nothing new either.

"I just… What if you don't make it back? I could've been there to help you" she reasoned, almost pleading now for him to change his mind.

"_I can't. Especially with the dangers"_ he thought. He remembered the words of Arngeir from weeks ago. "_He said that by learning Dragonrend, I'm exposing myself to the pure hatred and rage of those who hated dragons in the past. It could change me, turn me evil. Gods, I feel like I walk that line enough already" _he reflected, not that he'd tell Lydia any of this. He didn't need her to be afraid around him, even if she arguably should be. So he decided to comfort her in another way. Given by her sharp intake of breath when he hugged her, she wasn't expecting him to do that. "I promise Lydia, successful or not, I will make it back here alive" he said softly. He felt her return the hug tentatively, though she soon gripped him pretty tightly.

"Please" was her only response. They stood like that for a moment more before Varion grabbed his greatsword and placed it on his back, sheathed his katana, tied the scroll to himself once again and departed without another word. He didn't say anything to anyone as he grabbed his horse and rode to Ivarstead, being alone with his thoughts. He left the horse there and began another long walk up to High Hrothgar. Thankfully, the journey felt shorter every time and Clear Skies took care of the snowstorms that would've plagued his trek otherwise. The Elder Scroll on his back was the most annoying thing, it weighed him down quite significantly. When he made it to High Hrothgar, Arngeir greeted him with what appeared to be grim acceptance. Varion shared his mood, it seemed neither of them were really happy with what would happen tomorrow, when Varion would finally read the scroll. They offered him a night's rest and he gladly took it before departing soon after breakfast. Even then, he hardly spoke. When he made it to the Throat of the World again, he saw Paarthurnax.

"You have it. The Kel, the Elder Scroll. Time shudders at it's touch" he said, almost reverently.

"If I read this, what's the guarantee that I make it through the reading?" Varion asked nervously, voicing the concern that had plagued his mind for the entire journey.

"You are doom driven. Dragonborn. Your destiny is to defeat Alduin, and this is how it shall be done, evidently. This scroll has a special connection to this spot" Paarthurnax explained. "You should be fine" he added, though sounding less sure of himself. Varion took a deep breath and clenched his fist. He took his helmet off, giving him a much more complete field of sight, for reading purposes.

"I'll do it. I'll read this scroll. I have to" he declared, taking it off his back and walking over to what he had been told was the time wound. As he entered it, he felt weird. The world around him was now rippling, distorted, and he felt a strange connection with the scroll he now held in his hands.

"Hurry Dragonborn, I fear Alduin may approach soon," the elder dragon said with worry. Varion barely heard him, the feeling he was experiencing was so different to anything he was familiar with that he was unnerved, yet calmed by it. He steeled himself and held the scroll in front of his face, and with only a moment more of hesitation, he opened it. In that instant, he knew, if he lived long enough to tell the story, he'd never be able to convey the feeling of reading an Elder Scroll through words, or anything. He watched, frozen, as events from what seemed to be the past played out before his eyes as he was unable to interact with anything. He watched as a blonde armoured woman killed a dragon alongside her comrade, a heavily armoured man with a huge axe. They were joined by a third man in robes and they conversed, but Varions eyes focused on something.

"_He has the scroll!"_ he noted, watching the scene with interest. He saw Alduin descend and land on the mountain and taunt the heroes before taking flight, only to see them shout.

"JOOR ZAH FRUL!" they roared collectively and Varion felt the words burn themselves into his brain, then into his soul.

"_Dragonrend"_ he thought with relief. "_I finally have it. This worked"_. However, the scroll was still showing him this vision, so he theorised that there could be something else he needed to see. He watched as the heroes charged into battle against Alduin, and his heart sank as he saw the futility of their attacks. Alduin barely seemed to react, and he quickly killed the woman. Her pained cry as he practically bit her in half would've made Varion flinch, if he could move that is. He then noticed the robed man produce the Elder Scroll and shout some sort of incantation and Alduin was enveloped in a glow. He roared defiantly, but then the glow enveloped him and he vanished, leaving nothing behind but what looked like a small ripple-y area on top of the mountain. "_They used the scroll to banish him through time, to now"_ Varion mentally commented, understanding the situation in front of him. He'd just witnessed the dragon break happen, but he suddenly found himself being pulled out of his vision. For a few moments, he only saw white and he feared the worst, but he soon found his sight returning to normal. He found himself falling over, though he managed to catch himself so he landed on his hands and knees.

"Dovahkiin? Are you well?" Paarthurnax asked with concern and Varion clenched his fist.

"_I'm here. I'm alive. I know who I am. My name is Varion, I am the dragonborn"_ he repeated in his head a few times until he fully felt like he'd caught up to reality. He glanced over at the elder scroll on the ground which had shut by itself. He made a move to reach over to it, but suddenly a familiar roar sounded from behind him and his blood went cold, then quickly to red hot with unnatural rage.

"We meet again, Dovahkiin, and this time I will destroy you" a deep voice declared. Varion got to his feet and drew his greatsword, a look of sheer hatred on his face as he donned his helmet again. The anger seethed from his voice as he growled only a single word in reply.

"Alduin!"

* * *

A/N:And we reach the conclusion of Arc 8! Next chapter will be the long anticipated battle between Varion and Alduin, and from this point forward, we've got through all the boring bits of the main quest to write about! Huzzah! Expect another update next Sunday, or maybe I'll start making the story twice a week again!

As a side note, I've been going back over older chapters and finding much room for improvement. If you check back there, you'll be seeing differences in various details, extra dialogue pieces, stuff like that. I just want the entire story to be good, and though I do still feel some pride in those early chapters, it's clear that I've come a long way since. Just food for thought if you feel like rereading. Chapter 1 in particular will be very different…

Thanks for reading, be sure to favourite, follow and review and I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	31. Dragon's Bane

**Previously on the Legend of Varion…**

Varion successfully retrieved the Elder Scroll and after some dealings with a demon, made his way to the Throat of the World once again. He read the scroll and learned Dragonrend from the ancient nordic heroes, the shout used to ground Alduin in the past. However, upon returning to the present, Alduin has arrived to challenge him and with more anger in his heart, Varion prepares to fight his destined enemy…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

"Alduin!" Varion growled savagely, anger dripping from his voice. He gripped his weapon tightly.

""Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor. My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!" the black dragon replied simply before charging. However, he was intercepted by Paarthurnax who slammed into the world-eater and sent him falling for a few moments before he regained control over his trajectory. Paarthurnax pursued him, fire roaring from his mouth as the two dragons ascended higher, though Paarthurnax kept the battle within range of Varions eyesight. The dragons went at each other, teeth and claws and shouts being used to try kill each other.

"Varion! Use Dragonrend if you can!" Paarthurnax shouted. Varion braced himself, feeling the shout pulse through him. It was powerful, but more worryingly, it seemed like the greybeards were right. He felt the hatred, the fury, the sheer rage at the dragons, and especially at Alduin. He felt his inner nature roar with him as he shouted.

"JOOR ZAH FRUL!" As the pulse of energy hit Alduin, the dragon roared in anger. He dropped from the sky, landing on the mountain. Varion performed a dive roll to avoid the falling beast, then attacked, slashing and cutting as much as he could as Alduin pointlessly tried to fly again, before realising that folly and turning his attention to the Dragonborn. Annoyingly, Alduin was hardly a normal dragon. Varions attacks barely seemed to affect him and even the fire enchantment on his sword seemed more like a nuisance to his foe than an effective boost to his combat strength. Suddenly, Alduin managed to smack his wing/claw/hand into Varion and sent him sprawling along the ground. His sight went blurry for a couple seconds before it cleared and he growled in frustration. "_He's fast!"_ he thought with anger and worry. Alduin had caught him off guard already, and they'd been fighting for less than a minute. Thankfully he hadn't gotten his armour shredded by the dragon's claws ("_Thanks Eorlund"_) and he got back to his feet, gripping his weapon still. He ran forward and attacked again, but before he could make a single slash, Alduin was already airborne.

"You may have picked up the weapons of my ancient foes, but you are not their equal!" the World Eater taunted and Varion only frowned.

"You're right. I'm their better!" he shouted back. He wasn't really sure if he believed that, but better to appear confident than cowardly in the face of impending death. "JOOR ZAH FRUL!" Once again the shout brought Alduin down to earth and Varion resumed his attacks. However, despite his speed while wielding it, the Blade of Whiterun was proving a bit too slow to properly damage Alduin. Usually that wasn't a problem, it's lack of speed was compensated by it's massive damage potential and fire enchantment, but Alduin was taking barely any damage at all. Paarthurnax flew overhead, dousing Alduin in flames with a shout, causing him to take his eyes off Varion for a while to roar in anger and defiance. Varion then proceeded to tense and then ram the Blade of Whiterun into Alduin's neck with as much strength as he could. To his joy, the impalement worked and the sword stayed there, causing Alduin to roar in pain. "_That should finish this!"_ he thought with , the World Eaters anger was then replaced by laughter and before Varion could react, Alduin swung his neck and slammed his head into him, sending him crashing into a snowbank precariously close to the mountains edge. "How?" he muttered as he tried to regain his bearings.

"Foolish. I cannot die here!" Alduin chuckled darkly before drawing breath. "YOL TOOR SHUL!" At his words, a mighty torrent of flame shot towards Varion.

"Feim!" Varion shouted quickly, feeling the familiar ethereal weightlessness come over his body just as the flames hit. Using his moments of invincibility, he quickly got out of the snow bank and ran over to the middle of the area again, away from the deadly drop and away from the stream of fire. He glanced at Alduin and saw his greatsword stuck in his neck. "_So, even normally lethal wounds won't kill him that easily"_ he groaned internally before drawing his new katana. He hadn't yet used it on a dragon since he'd taken it from the Blades temple, but he had read a name on the handle, 'Dragonbane'. The blade sizzled with enchanted energy and Varion grinned darkly at the power he felt from it. He moved closer to Alduin, willed himself to become corporeal again and slashed at his face. While it didn't have the ideal effect of slicing his face in half, it left a visible mark and it appeared to burn with special energy. If Alduin's pained grunt was anything to go by, this blade was a damn sight better for killing dragons. He'd seen it deliver shock damage when using it on the Falmer back in Alftand, but whatever it did to dragons was far deadlier. Varion followed this up with a few more slashes before Alduin took off, sending Varion stumbling backwards from the force of his takeoff. He noticed the blood on the snow and growled darkly with satisfaction, Alduin was being worn down.

"Dragonborn! Do not halt your attack!" Paarthurnax called out as he resumed his battle with Alduin in the sky. Every time Varion brought the World Eater down to the ground, Paarthurnax simply soared overhead, bathing Alduin in fire while he allowed himself to rest. Despite the fact that dragons were immortal, Paarthurnax had sat on a mountain in isolation for thousands of years whereas Alduin was technically as he was during the Dragon War, at the peak of his power. Dragonrend grounded Alduin again and with his new weapon, Varion went in on the attack again. Each strike now drew blood. Varion performed a backwards roll to avoid Alduin's bite attack before standing back up and shouting.

"FUS RO DAH!" At his shout, Alduin buckled, not being blown backwards, but stunned nonetheless. Varion leapt forward and stabbed Alduin in the neck, the opposite side to the Blade of Whiterun. "What's wrong?! Where's your bravado Alduin?!" Varion shouted in anger. "_I'll destroy him. I'll break him. If I can't kill him, I'll make him beg me to find a way!"_ These, and many other hate filled thoughts flooded his mind, his body, his soul. He felt his anger fuel every move he made, giving him extra energy, like an adrenaline rush or a stamina potion. Before Alduin could take off again, he shouted once more and staggered the dragon, grounding him yet again. However, at the fourth time of using the shout, Varion felt something inside of him change, just like it had back at Jorrvaskr. His inner nature roared within him, calling for the death of this dragon, of all dragons, but especially this one. Varion's vision blurred for a moment, but it quickly sharpened again. For a moment, he considered driving his nature back into his subconscious, away from his primary thoughts, but then thought differently. "_The only one around is me, the old master, and this bastard. Why the hell not? Let's see where this goes" _he thought to himself as he focused on his dragon nature instead of ignoring it. It roared again, but he didn't command it to be silent. Instead, he encouraged it to roar louder, and a strange feeling he'd not felt since the day of Kodlak's death came over him. He fell to his knees as the rush flooded his mind and body, and he began laughing, but in the same sadistic tone he'd used when vowing to destroy the Silver Hand. Alduin regarded him with confusion, which then quickly turned to rage.

"YOU MOCK ME DOVAHKIIN?" Alduin roared in anger before shooting flames from his mouth. Varion leapt to the side, performing a roll back to his feet once he was out of the way.

"Why shouldn't I? You fear me!" he said tauntingly before pointing his sword at Alduin. "And it's a damn good thing you do!"

**X-X-X-X-X**

The fight continued, even bloodier than ever. As Paarthurnax and Alduin fought tooth and claw in the skies, Varion would battle the World Eater on the ground every time he could knock him down with Dragonrend. Dragonbane was a good blade, leaving actual damage on Alduin and Varion could see, slowly but surely, he was wearing down his enemy. Throughout the battle, Varion was grinning, though if anyone had seen him under his helmet, they'd have likely been scared at the bloodthirsty look it gave off. His dragon nature didn't feel like another presence at the moment, he felt complete and more alive now than he had in days. His swings carried the same force as they had before this change, but he felt less effort was required for each one, like his muscles were invigorated. When the flames of either Alduin or Paarthurnax came a bit too close and hit him a little, he grimaced, but then laughed it off, the pain not bothering him, or at least not as much as it would have before. If anything, it refreshed him more. He rolled to the side to avoid Alduin's fire breath before using the same shout on his enemy, causing the dragon to grimace as the flames roasted his body, though he quickly regained his bearings. The disinterested look Alduin had sported when their fight began had turned into a mask of pure rage, and he went on the attack. Varion threw himself to the ground as Alduin bit forward, before stabbing Dragonbane into the bottom of the dragon's mouth, feeling the blade pierce through. Before Alduin could react with anything beyond a pained roar, Varion tore the blade out of the front of his mouth at the chin, leaving a large bleeding wound on the underside of the dragon's head.

"I see you have become strong!" Alduin admitted begrudgingly and Varion only laughed.

"Strong enough to break you!" he shot back, though Alduin only snorted.

"We shall see!" The World Eater suddenly looked towards the sky and roared. Glancing upwards, Varion's dark grin was now actually replaced with a look of worry. The sky had changed colour to the same hue it had been during Alduin's attack on Helgen, and just like that day, rocks now began falling from the sky. They exploded upon impact with the ground and Varion was forced to dive out of the way of one. Alduin had managed to take off in the carnage and was dueling Paarthurnax yet again. Varion's dragon ally had regained his energy from the long time period Varion had kept him on the ground and was now battling him on equal terms.

"Falling sky rocks? That's actually pretty good!" Varion commented, though he doubted the World Eater would hear him. He shouted with Dragonrend, only for it to hit both Paarthurnax and Alduin. Both dragons fell down to the ground and Varion dived out of the way. He shook his head, getting the snow off of his helmet and glanced apologetically at Paarthurnax. "Sorry!" he called out before lunging at Alduin, delivering a quick stab straight into his tail before cutting downwards, leaving a sizable gash in it. However, the tail was still usable as it whipped around and smashed into Varion, sending him flying. He landed in the snow but rolled for a bit and he felt Dragonbane be torn from his grasp. Despite his confusion and pain at such an impact, he managed to grab hold of a rock and stop himself. He then rolled over onto his back and sat up, quickly drawing breath as he noticed that he was dangerously close to the edge of the mountaintop on the side that had a sheer drop instead of a path. "_Damn"_ he thought to himself with some relief. Even with the anger in his mind and his dragon nature coursing through his soul, he still had some common sense, and being knocked off a mountain would be a pretty embarrassing way to end the fight. He stood back up and shouted. "WULD!" In seconds, he was back in front of Alduin, dodging and rolling out of the path of his attacks while slashing at any opening he found. Despite his nature-driven adrenaline rush, Varion was getting annoyed. "_I've been carving away at him for minutes with this special sword and the bastard still won't die!"_ he growled in complaint, though only internally. His breath was better saved for other words. "FUS RO DAH!" he shouted. Alduin staggered once more and Varion saw an opening. He dodged to the right side of Alduin's head, took his dagger from its sheath and stabbed it into the lower half of Alduin's neck. Before the World Eater could react, Varion jumped onto the dagger with one foot, using it to push himself up on top of Alduin's neck. He felt the dagger snap underneath his weight when he pushed and he grimaced, it has been a good blade. However, the only one he needed was currently in his hand and he stabbed it deep into Alduin's neck. "Paarthurnax! Freeze him!" he called out.

"You will be hit too!" the old Dovah replied and Varion gritted his teeth as he tried to stay on top of Alduin. He'd begun thrashing, trying to knock the stubborn nord off and it was taking all of Varions strength to stay on.

"DO IT!" he roared and he felt the frost of Paarthurnax's shout crash into him and Alduin. It was bitingly cold and for a few moments, Varions body went numb and he feared he'd made a mistake. However, just as his reckless self had predicted, the feeling faded fast and his sense of touch returned, his nordic and werewolf blood doing him a world of good. He laughed with battle lust and tore Dragonbane out of Alduin's neck before using his full power Fire Breath shout. The way the blood inside Alduin's neck sizzled would've sickened a normal man, but it was a beautiful sight to Varion in that moment. He then punched his hand into the wound, lodging it inside before using the strongest shock spell he could muster. Alduin's pained roar indicated that his blood was proving a good conductor and his insides were significantly less resilient than his scaly outer hide. He then leapt forward off of Alduin, performing a forward roll as he hit the ground and getting back to his feet, only stumbling a little from the exhaustion. He may have been feeling amazing, soaking up every second of combat with eagerness and battlelust with anger to fuel his movements, but his body could only take so much and it was beaten badly. Alduin simply remained stationary for a few moments, stunned, and Varion breathed heavily to regain his breath. Suddenly, the World Eater lunged forward with his mouth open to devour Varion and he smirked. "_You're mine"_. With that thought, he took Dragonbane in both hands and rammed it straight through the roof of Alduin's mouth before tearing it out of him by pulling backwards, cutting the dragon's nose clean in half. He stumbled back a few steps and Alduin seemed to almost collapse, resting on his wing-feet/hands in a stunned state. Blood poured from what must have been a hundred wounds. One of his eyes was slashed. The mountaintop was covered in the red blood of a dragon, with a little nord blood mixed in here and there. The blade of Whiterun had fallen out of Alduin's neck a while ago, now lying on the red snow, melting it.

"You are powerful, Dovahkiin. Worryingly so" the World Eater admitted tiredly and Varion felt himself grin darkly at that.

"Glad you realised. Are you ready to keep going? I think there's still some spots on you that aren't bleeding!" he threatened, holding out his sword towards the dragon. He wasn't sure that he could keep going, his body was nearly at it's limit, but he wasn't going to let Alduin know that.

"I am Al-Du-In!" his opponent roared. "First born of Akatosh! Muulagi Zok Lot! I cannot be slain here, by you, or any other! I will live long after you are dead, mortal!" he declared, spitting the last word like it was the greatest insult. Varion simply scoffed.

"I'll make you wish you were dead!" he threatened. Annoyingly, Alduin laughed before suddenly taking flight and heading away from the mountain at speed.

"You have triumphed Varion. A mighty battle was won this day. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory" Paarthurnax said with pride from where he'd been circling above, having regained his flight a while ago. He seemed wounded too, blood dripped from his wounds, but he still smiled. As Alduin flew away, Varion took a step in the direction of his retreat, stomped his foot and roared. It was a deafening sound, full of anger and pride, and in that moment, it truly sounded like that of a Dovah.

"Run Alduin!" he shouted to the dragon, his nordic battle cry and dragon voice making his words thunder across the land. "Run away and lick your wounds! Do whatever you will to try and heal your broken body! But in every waking moment you have left, know that you lost here and ran! And whenever you feel powerful, arrogant, fearless, I want you to remember the one man who beat you!"

**X-X-X-X-X**

However, shortly after his message to the retreating World Eater, Varion then clutched a hand to his head in pain and groaned in agony. The high that he'd been riding for the whole battle was gone, and whatever had come over him, his dragon nature or just an unnatural adrenaline rush, was fueling him no longer. He tore his helmet off, tossing it to the side before collapsing to one knee, still holding his head as he felt the anger and battlelust practically be sucked out of him.

"Dovahkiin! What is the matter?" Paarthurnax asked with concern, having landed on the word wall in his usual perch.

"My head… My soul…" he muttered. "I feel…" he trailed off. Now that Alduin was gone, he could think clearly without his every thought having the subtext of 'I will destroy him'. He realised fully what just happened, and his blood went cold.

"Varion?" Paarthurnax inquired again. Varion shakily got to his feet, dropping his sword to the ground.

"I gave into it. My dragon soul, my nature…" he started, still with a hand to his forehead. "It's like a little voice, in the back of my head. My most violent and destructive thoughts, speaking to me from time to time. The urge to destroy, to crush, to dominate, it's brought to the surface" he explained slowly.

"I was afraid that this may have been the case. All dragons have the will to dominate in their blood and soul. As Dragonborn, you no doubt feel the same" the old Dovah said sympathetically.

"I don't want to do those things! Or at least, I don't think I do. How do you hold it back, if all dragons have it? You don't go out destroying things".

"Overcoming the inner evil one was born with is not an easy task. Some would say that the fact Dragons possess this inborn desire is cause enough to put them down" Paarthurnax replied. Varion laughed bitterly.

"You've got that right. I bet the blades would love it if I put every dragon in the dirt. They'd say it's for the greater good". As he said that, he felt anger burn inside of him again, anger at the dragons. "_Maybe they're right. Look at what these bastards are doing to my home…"_ he thought, clenching his fist.

"What is better? To be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?" Paarthurnax asked simply. Varions anger faded. The old dragon was right. He then thought back to what Arngeir had said earlier and came to a worrying realisation.

"That shout, Dragonrend. The Greybeards were right, it changed me. During that fight with Alduin, all I could think about was killing him, and after him, every other dragon. The hatred that comes with that shout, it's strong. Too strong. I gave into my dragon nature fully, just for the extra chance of killing him" he said, thinking aloud. "And I couldn't even finish the job," he added bitterly.

"Not even the ancient heroes could defeat him in standard combat. You have done something greater, you have shamed him. He lost, and retreated. The other Dovah will have their loyalty shaken, now that their leader has been defeated" Paarthurnax countered, trying to console Varion.

"It's not over. He's not dead" was the nords simple reply. He no longer felt burning hatred through his body, his dragon soul was quiet, but he still wanted the World Eater to bleed at his feet.

"Alduin will not be easy to find. I know not where he has gone, but perhaps one of his allies could tell us".

"You think they'll betray him?"

"It will not be easy to convince them. But perhaps the hofkahsejun, the palace in Whiterun, Dragonsreach, would be a suitable place to trap one. After all, that was its intended purpose" Paarthurnax suggested. Varion chuckled a bit at the idea.

"The Jarl might disagree," he warned.

"I have faith you could persuade him" Paarthurnax replied with what appeared to be the dragon equivalent of a shrug. Varion gave a small grin, a genuine one.

"You may be right". However, his grin then faded. "I have a favour to ask you first" he added, glancing at the old Dovah. At Paarthurnax's head tilt, he continued. "I still feel it. The darkness from Dragonrend. It's still eating away at me a bit. I'll be honest, a small part of me wants to kill you right now" he admitted awkwardly, though he made no move to retrieve his weapon as he kept that feeling under control. "Against Alduin, how I was feeling, it scared me. That sheer bloodlust, the desire to kill. I don't trust myself like that. I'm too powerful to lose control of myself" he explained further.

"A wise thought, but where do I come in?" the dragon asked.

"I won't take chances. I'm not leaving this mountain. Not until this, nature, will, whatever it is, is under my control fully. I won't put my friends at risk because of my inner demons" he declared, looking to the elder Dov for guidance. "Please Paarthurnax, can you help me?" he asked, pleading almost. Paarthurnax looked at him the same way a master may look at a younger student and smiled.

"I'd be honoured to have you join me in my meditation, Varion" he said and gestured to the snow in front of the word wall, offering Varion a seat there. He took that seat and looked up at the dragon.

"Thank you," he said gratefully. Paarthurnax bowed his head.

"I warn you, this will not be easy, and we have limited time as Alduin will not wait. But I believe you can work to overcome your nature enough for the coming trials, and then refine it further" he explained. Varion nodded and closed his eyes. He knew that this hastily requested therapy session was eating away at their precious time before Alduin recovered, but he needed to know that he was in control, that his nature wouldn't overwhelm him like that again.

"_No, that's not accurate. It didn't overwhelm me. I chose to give into it. These are my thoughts, my choices"_ he scolded himself mentally. He thought back to Kodlak's words from months ago, his conversations with Arngeir, and his own code he'd lived by throughout his life. "_I have to learn to overcome it. It has to be done. But once I'm ready, I'll be coming to finish you off, Alduin!"_

* * *

A/N:Oh boy, this was quite the chapter to write! This is the longest Skyrim fight scene I've ever written and I can only hope I did this battle justice! Please give me feedback on it, for I hope to make future epic battles even better!

I know that I focused a lot on Varions mental struggle in this chapter, amongst the fight and after it, but it's a major part of this story and it really came to a head here, with Varion giving into it for the first time. Let me know what you guys thought of that, if it's easy to follow, to understand.

I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Next time we'll get into Arc 9. Things are really starting to get good, not so much for Varion though…

Favourite, follow, review, and I'll see you all next time!


	32. Politics Be Damned 1 - The Messenger

He sat at the peak of the throat of the world, the elder dragon Paarthurnax watching him. The cold wind chilled him, yet he remained still. His eyes firmly shut, he let his mind drift. For the first time in weeks, he didn't hear the familiar roar of his inner dragon nature, or the urge to give into his more violent impulses. Varion allowed himself a small smile. He had done it, and he was now ready to finish what he started...

* * *

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion fought Alduin atop the Throat of the World and defeated him, though he was unable to kill him. As the World Eater has retreated, Varion now seeks to interrogate one of his dragon allies to find out where he can finish this fight…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

Varion grimaced at the Jarls laughter as he told him his request. He knew that asking Balgruuf to trap a dragon in his palace was admittedly an outrageous request, but this wasn't helping his confidence that he'd get approval. Slowly, the Jarl's laughter died down and he looked at Varion with a look of shock. "Wait. You were serious?" he said with a fair amount of disbelief.

"Yes, I was sir. I need to use Dragonsreach to trap a dragon" Varion repeated.

"I… you do realise the magnitude of what you're asking? The absurdity?" the Jarl asked, still sounding very unsure.

"I'm aware sir, but this is the only way I can find Alduin. I need to end him" Varion explained.

"Alduin? The world-" Balgruuf began with fear in his tone, but Varion cut him off.

"Yes, that Alduin. I've already fought him once, and won. I couldn't kill him then, but if I can find him again, he's already dead" he explained before the Jarl could get overly worried about an apocalypse bringing dragon, no matter how valid said concerns may be. Balgruuf sighed, deep in thought.

"You have always had my support Dragonborn, you still do, but this will be an exceptionally difficult task" he warned. Varion raised an eyebrow, asking him to elaborate. "While we go about capturing a dragon, if the Imperials or Stormcloaks decided to make a move, we'd be severely underequipped" he explained and Varion clenched his fist. He'd been so busy worrying about the end of the world he'd almost forgotten about the stupid war fought between two stubborn fools.

"And if you didn't have to worry about them?" Varion inquired. Balgruuf gave a small chuckle.

"I hope you don't plan on taking on both sides for my sake, Varion" he joked, or at least half-joked, half asked with nervousness. Varion smirked a bit.

"No, I'm not that crazy. But what if they were at peace? If only for a short time?" This got a thoughtful expression on the Jarls face.

"Then I'd be glad to help you, if our borders were safe. But I fear that arranging peace may be impossible at this point. The wounds run too deep". Varion scowled.

"_Typical nord pride and stubbornness, can't even put aside their hatred to save the entire world" _he thought with annoyance. "I could convince them. Or maybe get a little help from some highly respected men to persuade them?" Varion suggested. At Balgruuf's raised eyebrow, he continued. "The Greybeards. There's no way Ulfric would refuse their summons, and surely Tullius must know of them" he explained.

"Hmm. That might actually work. The Greybeards are respected all throughout Skyrim. They might actually be able to get those two warmongers to listen. Bring about some peace in this time of chaos, if only for a while" Balgruuf replied, considering Varions suggestion carefully. "If you could get the Greybeards to agree, then we can work on getting Ulfric and Tullius up to High Hrothgar".

"Leave that to me. I'll persuade Arngeir" Varion reassured him.

"I'm putting a lot of trust in you Varion. For this peace, and for capturing a dragon" Balgruuf said with concern, offering his hand. Varion shook it firmly.

"No pressure" the Dragonborn replied, half joking. He turned and left the hall, preparing for another trip to High Hrothgar. He'd had enough of climbing the mountain already, this would be his second trip in 3 days after he'd returned from the Throat of the World yesterday. Needless to say, Arngeir was surprised to see him so soon.

"You've returned already Varion?" the old man asked and Varion bowed his head to him in respect.

"I'm afraid it's not on the terms I would've liked. I need your help once again" Varion said grimly. Previously Arngeir had said that "Clear Skies" was the last time they would grant Varion a gift, but the Dragonborn hoped that this would count as more of a favour. "I need you to help me arrange a peace treaty in Skyrim" he requested, choosing to just spit it out. Arngeir's raised eyebrows implied that this was not what he had expected.

"Dragonborn, the Greybeards do not involve themselves with the matters of the world below. You know this" Arngeir said in his usual tone, but with a tiny hint of sterness and confusion laced in.

"Let me explain. I need to take down Alduin, right?" he first asked, receiving a nod from Arngeir. After he'd meditated with Paarthurnax for those days, he'd stayed in High Hrothgar for a night before heading back to Whiterun, during which he'd talked to Arngeir about his battle. He'd left out the bit about his dragon nature, deeming it unnecessary. "In order to do that, I've got to find him. Paarthurnax suggested I interrogate an ally of his using Dragonsreach to capture them. Balgruuf won't help me while the war rages. You four are some of the most respected men in Skyrim. If anyone can get these idiots to sit down and make peace for a few weeks, it's you" Varion explained further, requesting Arngeir's assistance. The greybeard narrowed his eyebrows.

"I see. This is… not an easy request" he replied after a while.

"If there was another way, that's where I'd be" Varion said with a shoulder shrug. Arngeir thought it over for a few moments, then sighed.

"Very well Varion. We shall assist you" he spoke. He then chuckled at Varions surprised face. "Paarthurnax chooses to assist you, and he is our master. We will follow his lead. Even the greybeards must bend to the winds of change" he murmured with a solemn expression on his face, clearly not happy about that fact.

"So you'll do it?" Varion asked, wanting to get clearer confirmation.

"Yes, yes I will assist you with this as best you can. Talk to Ulfric and Tullius. Let us see if they remember us up here, and if they will be willing to listen" Arngeir replied. Varion grinned slightly, this was certainly good news.

"I'll get right to that. Thank you master" he said in farewell, bowing his head as he did. Arngeir returned the gesture, then Varion turned and walked out of the monastery. "Well, that went well. Now, off to Solitude and Windhelm I suppose" he muttered to himself. "I did want to see more of Skyrim" he added with a shrug and stood on a rock on the edge of the mountain path, next to a massive drop off that would surely kill him if he fell. He smirked and took a few steps back before tensing. "WULD NAH KEST!" he shouted and felt himself shoot forward, flying off of the mountain and beginning a long fall to the ground below. Anyone who saw him would've likely called him a suicidal maniac. As he fell, Varion closed his eyes and listened to the world. The whistling of the wind in his ears, the feeling of the fall, it was quite a nice experience. As he saw the ground fast approaching, he tensed again. "FEIM ZII GRON!" he shouted and felt himself become ethereal. Four seconds later, he hit the ground feet first. Thanks to his shout, he wasn't splattered to a bloody stain. He landed, but felt his momentum carry him forward and he went tumbling, rolling over himself for several meters. "_Should've - Thought - This - Out - Better"_ Varion thought with annoyance in between impacts. Eventually, he became corporeal again and slammed his fist into the ground, slowing himself down. He came to a stop, his armour a bit dirtier than it had been that morning. He stood up and dusted himself off. "It works. Just needs a bit of work on the landing" he said out loud with bemusement. While training with Paarthurnax to repress his inner nature, he'd also meditated on his words of power. As a result, his shouts were quite a bit stronger now, and he even had some new words to shouts he already had, like Whirlwind Sprint and Become Ethereal. He'd come up with the idea to combine Whirlwind Sprint and Become Ethereal to get off of high places quickly while on the mountain and he'd tested it from the actual peak of the Throat of the World and it had worked fine, though that was obviously a much smaller drop than the one he'd just attempted. He began his walk towards Whiterun, still trying to regain his bearings after his massive fall and subsequent roll across Whiterun hold. "_Time to go sightseeing"_ he thought with a mild amount of apprehension.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Hold there friend" were the words that greeted Varion when he approached the Windhelm gates after a carriage ride to the city stables. He'd departed at some ungodly hour of the morning, so he was arriving just at about mid-afternoon. He looked at the speaker, a female guard clad in Stormcloak armour.

"_I guess that the guards are all Stormcloaks now. Or the other way around"_ Varion thought to himself. "Need something?" he asked.

"Only your reason for entering our city" she replied with civility.

"_These guards are nicer than the Riften ones. This place might not be so bad"_ Varion thought to himself. "I'm here to talk to Jarl Ulfric" he replied, figuring that it was enough of the truth. The guards' expression seemed almost excited by his remark.

"Here to join the cause?" she asked.

"I'm here to speak to Jarl Ulfric. I'll say no more" he repeated. The guards expression sombered a bit, but she still stepped aside to let him in.

"Of course. I wish you luck" she said, clearly still assuming he was a new recruit. He rolled his eyes and continued forward. He'd gone helmetless, so he made sure to do that out of her line of sight. The city was cold, snowy, and he was tempted to clear the skies, but not drawing attention was probably for the best here.

"You pieces of trash! Shoulda ran you out of the city long ago!"

"_So much for not drawing attention"_ Varion thought to himself, turning to look at the commotion. Two men had cornered a dark elf woman and were shouting all sorts of obscenities at her. The shouting one was regularly clothed, but with a stupid looking mustache. He shoved the woman, knocking her over. "_She can't be past her early 20's. You guys really are pathetic"_ he growled internally.

"You refuse to help the Stormcloaks, yet expect all these things from us. You're parasites!" the other man spat, quite literally. He was clad in rags, balding, looked like he once was muscular, but it had faded.

"_This ones a beggar. Guess you've gotta get your power trip somehow"_ Varion thought darkly as he walked over.

"We haven't taken a side because it's not our fight!" the woman replied, clearly afraid, yet trying to placate the two idiots.

"Hey, maybe the reason these greyskins haven't taken a side in the war, is because they're imperial spies!" mustache man said to his partner.

"Imperial spies? Rolff, You can't be serious!?" the woman cried with indignation.

"Maybe we'll pay you a visit tonight little spy" Rolff hissed menacingly. "We got ways of finding out what you really are…"

"You're ridiculous!" the woman retorted, and Rolff raised his hand at her words. However, he would find it quite difficult to carry out his punch, given that Varion was now holding onto his forearm.

"What's going on here?" he asked, hiding his rage behind stone cold indifference.

"Let go of me, ya filthy dark elf lover!" Rolff spat as he struggled in Varions grip. The Dragonborn released the man's arm, only to then be hit in the face by a hook from his newly freed adversary. Varion faintly heard cheers from the beggar and a gasp from the woman, but his attention was on Rolff.

"I'll give you that one. If you touch me again, I'll break something" he said, plainly, yet with underlying fury. As Rolff predictably took his next swing, Varion grabbed his arm with his left hand. Stepping in closer, he smashed his right elbow into the nords nose, causing blood to pour from it. Rolff had barely groaned in pain before Varion ducked lower, using his shoulder as leverage to flip Rolff over himself and onto the cold hard ground. The racist cried in pain, clutching his nose as he rolled around. Varion just frowned at the man before he caught a glimpse of the beggar throwing a punch at him too. He sidestepped before grabbing the man's forearm and twisting it, causing the attacker to flinch.

"Beating up beggars? A real big man you are!" he spat.

"You were attacking this woman with the help of your dickhead friend. I could care less about your judgement" he replied simply before tightening his grip on the man's arm and pulling it forward harsly, causing the fool's stomach to collide with Varions knee, folding him over his thigh. Withdrawing the knee, he released the arm and delivered a quick punch to his attackers head, knocking him down to the ground where he moaned in what seemed like semi-conscious agony. Varion half expected his lips to twitch into a familiar satisfied smirk, but felt no impulse to do so. There was no nagging voice in the back of his head insisting that he go further, that he leave them a little more crippled, and he mentally made a note to thank Paarthurnax for his help. Varion then turned to the woman.

"I- You…" she trailed off, though she was clearly still frightened.

"I won't hurt you. I'm not like them" he said as soothingly as he could. "You have a home around here?" he asked.

"Y- yes. In the grey quarter. It's in the old corner of the city. I can make it home" she said quickly.

"If you like, I can make sure you make it there unbothered?" Varion asked, offering her a hand. She looked at his outstretched hand, then at his face, as if trying to judge his intentions. She nodded tentatively, taking his outstretched hand. He pulled her up off the ground carefully, steadying her. "Are you injured?" he asked, looking her over.

"No, nothing to concern yourself with" she replied, regaining what appeared to be a normal tone. She began walking and he stayed by her side, making sure to keep a bit of distance between himself and her.

"What was that about?" he asked, glancing over to her. She sighed in irritation.

"A common occurrence that is. I take it you're new here" she said rhetorically. "The nords of this city, bar a precious few, take any excuse to bully us. It wouldn't be the first time I've been accused of being an imperial spy" she muttered. Varion raised an eyebrow.

"I take it you aren't?" he asked. At her incredulous look, he shrugged. "I'm not from around here. You're a stranger" he explained, justifying his question.

"I can assure you, I'm not. And I'm not the only one those men harass" she continued. "The beggar is Angrenor. He's an ex-stormcloak, retired thanks to a wound. He'll pick on anyone to get a feeling of power again" she said bitterly. "The other guy is Rolff Stone-Fist. A real charmer" she muttered, a growl making its way into her tone.

"The guy whose nose I broke?" Varion asked and his new friend chuckled a little.

"Yes, the man whose nose you broke. He likes to get drunk at night and walk around the Grey Quarter, throwing insults at us, beating us if we come too close. He's a menace" she said softly, yet with anger in every syllable.

"Why hasn't anyone stopped him?" Varion asked, puzzled. "As I showed, it's really not that hard". She giggled a little at this, but her expression soon turned forlorn.

"He's the brother of Galmar Stone-Fist, Ulfric's right hand man. Anyone who gets caught touching him is in for a world of hurt" she said warningly. Varion rolled his eyes.

"I think I'll be fine," he said reassuringly.

"You might be. You're a nord" she replied. At his raised eyebrow, she continued. "Anyone who's not a nord doesn't do well in Windhelm. I mean, look around" she said, gesturing to the buildings. Varion did so and frowned. They had entered the so-called "grey quarter", and it was far more run down than the rest of the city. Hastily boarded up windows, poorly paved pathways, shoddy stonework, it was a slum.

"This is where you live?" he asked. She sighed.

"Yes. Sadly. Most dark elves are made to live here. At least it's not as bad as the Argonians. They can't even come into the city" she answered sadly. Varions fist clenched.

"Why?"

"Ulfric's decree. We can't challenge that. Brunwulf, a nice nord man, is trying for us, but he's not making much progress" she explained.

"I see. I'm sorry" Varion responded, not really knowing what else to say to that. They walked for a bit longer when Varion nearly facepalmed at his forgetfulness. "What's your name?" he asked, now realising he hadn't actually gotten introduced to this woman.

"I'm Virene. Virene Felsvru" she replied. Varion nodded in acknowledgement. "Who are you?"

"I'm Varion" he answered.

"Varion…?" she trailed off, asking for his last name, but she met his solemn gaze.

"It's just Varion" he said.

"Oh. Sorry" she replied quietly. He grunted as if to say 'it's fine', and their walk finished outside of what he assumed was her house. "Well, goodbye Varion. Thank you, thank you for your help" Virene said sincerely and Varion gave her a small smile.

"It's nothing. I'll be calling back here, see if I can't help Brunwulf turn this place around" he replied in farewell before turning and leaving. He didn't miss her smile at him before closing her door and that made him feel good. Helping people. It wasn't quite saving the world, but it was still a step towards a better world. He then quickly realised something as he walked down a street and turned a corner. "_And I now have no idea where I am…"_ he groaned internally. He really could've asked for a map. He rounded another corner, walking briskly now, and saw something that made his eyebrow raise with intrigue. A small girl was standing by what appeared to be another gate out of the city, a flower basket in her hand. What Varion also noticed, even from 10+ metres away, she was shivering. "Hey, kid. What are you doing out here?" Varion called out. She glanced over at him, clearly freezing.

"Oh! Um, hi, mister. Would you-". The girl was cut off by some involuntary sneezing. "Would you like to buy some flowers?" she asked as confidently as she could. Her expression then dropped. "Please?" she asked softly. Varion moved closer, dropping to a knee so he could talk face to face with her.  
"Trying to become a merchant?" he asked with a small hint of levity. "Seems a bit cold to be outside" he added. He reached to his belt and grabbed a small coin purse. "How much are you charging?"

"You're actually gonna buy something?" she asked with surprise, then quickly tried to play it off. "I mean, um, thank you sir. I don't have much, but-"

"Chill out kid" Varion started, then chuckled a bit to himself considering his poor choice of words. "Ok, let me rephrase. Relax, don't have to be so nervous" he continued as he dropped about 10 septims in her basket and grabbed out three red flowers. Sure, he'd overpaid a lot, but he wasn't going to lose any sleep over it. He put them carefully in his bag before turning his attention back to the girl. "Why are you out here in this weather?" he asked gently.

"Oh. Um, I'm trying to get money to buy food. I can't really do much else, so I try to sell flowers" she explained, occasionally stopping to cough mid sentence.

"Where are your parents?"

"They… They're dead" she said with sadness. Varion frowned. "My mama died when I was really young, and my dad was a Stormcloak soldier. He went off to fight and never came back" she continued, sounding sadder with every word. "I don't have anywhere to go. I don't know what to do…" She sounded close to tears now. Varions heart hurt hearing her story. Being an orphan was something he could relate to, and she was younger than he had been when he lost his parents.

"What's your name?" he asked gently.

"Sofie" she replied, sniffling. Varion placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Is there an inn around here? Somewhere you could stay?" he asked in the same tone.

"I guess, Candlehearth Hall".

"Would you like to stay there instead of out on the streets?" He figured it was an obvious choice, but he wanted to make sure he wasn't about to put this child into a worse space.

"Oh yes! It's far warmer there, and the innkeeper Elda is nice, as well as the serving girl Susanna" Sofie started. Her expression then fell. "But that's too expensive, I barely have enough money for food-" she began rambling, but Varion cut her off.

"Don't worry about that. Can you show me where it is?" he asked.

"O- Ok. I can do that" she said and began walking off. It was at this point where Varion noticed her feet, covered in things that could barely be considered shoes.

"You're not walking the way there in those" Varion spoke as he picked her up into his arms, carrying her. "Just tell me where to go," he requested and she nodded.

"Thank you mister" Sofie said gratefully.

"My name's Varion" he replied and began his short journey. Sure, he was technically wasting time he could've spent organising a peace treaty to stop the war to stop Alduin, but he'd be damned if he left an orphan to sleep outside in Windhelm of all places. "_How can I save the world if I can't even save people like her?"_ he thought to himself, glancing at the child in his arms. He whispered his fire breath shout, heating the air in front of them and as they walked through it, he felt Sofie's shivering lessen a little. Before long, they were inside Candlehearth Hall, the inn of Windhelms stone quarter. "Barkeep?" he asked, stepping inside, being careful of the kid in his arms.

"Um, hello there" a woman replied, standing behind the counter. "Do you need something?"

"A room for this girl. Long term. Plus food," he replied, placing Sofie carefully down on her feet.

"How long are we talking? This could be pretty expensive" Elda warned. Varion reached to his belt and pulled a coin purse out.

"That will not be a problem" he said, putting it on the counter. Elda looked at the bag and her eyes widened.

"She'll be welcome here for a long time," she said warmly, looking at Sofie. The girl gave a soft smile back, then looked up at Varion.

"Are you sure Mr Varion? I don't want to be any trouble" she said with some uncertainty, but Varion just smiled a little.

"You aren't. Trust me" he reassured, giving her a pat on the shoulder. She looked at him with wide eyes, then flung her arms around his midsection.

"Thank you thank you thank you! You're the best mister! I promise I'll make it up to you!" she said adamantly, sniffling again. Varion gently returned the hug, glancing over at Elda and another woman who had come down with a serving dish, most likely Susanna.

"Any time kid" Varion replied, patting her back in a soothing manner. "Elda? Susanna?" he asked, looking at each of them in turn. "Look after her. I'll be back someday" he promised and he got reassuring nods from both of them.

"She'll be right at home here. Safe," Susanna promised.

"She better be," Varion replied. He gently pried Sofie off, giving the three of them one last nod before turning and walking out of the room. They didn't see his small smile as he did. "_Another job well done. I'm becoming a regular saviour of the downtrodden"_ he thought sarcastically. Even with all the time he'd just spent, he found that he didn't mind it. "_An orphan now has a chance at a happier life, at least for now, and a girl was saved from abuse. There's not really a downside to what I did"_ he mentally replied to his own sarcastic thought. He then turned a corner and glanced down the "main street" of Windhelm and saw a big palace at the end. "Now, it's time to do what I actually came here for" he muttered to himself, and began his trek to meet with Ulfric Stormcloak.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Only a brave man, or a foolish one, dares to approach a Jarl without summons" Ulfric spoke up and Varion restrained himself from eye-rolling. "I take it you have good reason for disturbing me?" he continued.

"_Yes, you're very busy sitting on your ass while you cause Skyrim to bleed"_ Varion growled internally, but kept his poker face intact. "I'm here with a message from the greybeards" he replied. Ulfric sat up straighter, eyes narrowed in interest.

"The greybeards? How interesting. Tell me, how do you have such a message? You seem familiar" he asked/stated, looking Varion up and down. Varion's expression didn't change at Ulfric's examination.

"I'm the Dragonborn, Jarl Ulfric. I was at Helgen with you" he answered honestly. If he was going to get Ulfric to agree to come along, dishonesty wasn't really going to help his case.

"Dragonborn? You? Well, I'm quite surprised to learn the man I nearly saw die at the chopping block is the legend I've been hearing about so much. Forgive me if I don't bow" Ulfric said, shrugging as he did.

"I'm not asking for that. The Greybeards sent me here with a message" Varion repeated, wanting to get the conversation back on track.

"Master Arngeir finally turns his eyes back to our bleeding homeland. What does he want?"

"You called him master?" Varion asked curiously.

"I used to study with them, a long time ago. That's how I learned the thu'um I use. I was preparing to become a greybeard myself, I think. But that's just not who I am, never was, never will be" Ulfric said forlornly, but soon regained his usual composure. "Now, what's this message? We're becoming too sidetracked in this conversation" he said sternly.

"They want you to go to High Hrothgar to discuss a peace treaty until the dragons are dealt with" Varion explained and Ulfric's brow furrowed.

"The dragons are a problem. They're harming both imperials, Stormcloaks, and indeed our entire homeland. I have endless respect for the greybeards of course, but with the political situation, I am unsure if I will attend. I can't afford to appear weak by seeking a temporary ceasefire. I must be certain that Tullius will be there himself" Ulfric said thoughtfully. Varion actually took some thought to his words.

"_As much of a pain as politics are, this man knows what he's talking about. If he seeks a truce while the Empire doesn't, it'll look like he's on the back foot, outmatched"_ he thought analytically, before shaking his head. "With all due respect, I doubt the World Eater Alduin gives a damn about your politics" Varion said bluntly. Ulfric's eyes widened and he sat up straight in his throne.

"Alduin? Of song and legend? The world eater himself… Well, that changes the situation a little, doesn't it?" he asked rhetorically. "In the face of such a threat… Tullius may be forced to see sense" he said thoughtfully. Varion raised an interested eyebrow.  
"I can assure you, Tullius himself will be there as well, if you swear to come" he offered. Ulfric looked him in the eye, seemingly analyzing his words.

"Very well. I'll be at this greybeard council. I trust you'll inform me of when it is?"

"Of course my Jarl. You'll receive a courier as soon as the details are finalised" Varion answered.

"Good. This truce may prove beneficial to all parties. No point fighting for Skyrim's freedom if it is destroyed before we save it" he declared before getting up and walking over to a side room in the palace. Varion watched him go.

"I'd practice what you preach, Ulfric" Varion muttered darkly, the words from the Thalmor dossier fresh in his mind.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The meeting with Tullius was a lot smoother than the one with Ulfric. Upon entering Solitude, it was a surprisingly straightforward task to make it to the castle without being distracted by racists or orphaned children, then explain the situation and get the General to agree. All Varion had to do was mention that Ulfric himself was going to be there and Tullius agreed easily. However, he declined to mention his presence at Helgen to the general as well as him being Dragonborn, but the general didn't question how he got a message from the Greybeards and just agreed to attend. After returning to the Throat of the World, setting up a date with Arngeir for two weeks from now, falling back to ground level using his shouts, returning to Jarl Balgruuf, telling him the date, sending couriers to Windhelm and Solitude with said date and walking back to his house, all he could think to do was collapse on his bed facedown after haphazardly taking off his armour. It had been one hell of a week and a half. "Long week my thane?" Lydia snarked from her corner of the room. Varion chuckled into the bed, glad to hear her voice. She'd nearly hugged him to death when he came through the door, about three weeks since she'd seen him last. She'd then somehow hugged harder out of fear when he told her about his battle with Alduin. It took a lot of convincing to get her to let him go off to Windhelm and Solitude on his own, but he was nothing if not persuasive (He'd been forced to use the "I'm thane" card).

"You could say that. Remind me to never get involved in politics again" he mumbled and Lydia mock groaned.

"But my thane, I was just about to suggest you run for High King. You'd be perfect, all the paperwork, and sitting down, and staying inside" she drawled, reaching deep down and bringing out more sarcasm than Varion thought possible. He rolled over, laughing a little.

"Ok, ok. I get your point Lydia" he replied good-naturedly.

"You think they will agree to a truce?" she asked casually and Varion frowned.

"I don't know. I'd like to say that 'I'll make them', but I can't muscle around the Empire and the Stormcloaks. Plus, I've got to stick up for Whiterun as well. That was Balgruuf's one request, that I make sure we can stay neutral" he explained.

"We?" Lydia asked curiously.

"This city is my home Lydia. I may not have much interest in the war, but if anyone or anything attacks Whiterun, I will send them back to their master in burial urns as ash" he replied with too casual a tone for the subject.

"Varion?" a female voice called from the doorway. He glanced over to see Aela standing there, leaning against the doorframe.

"Ah, good to see you. You came" Varion greeted. He'd asked Torvar who he'd passed on his way home to get Aela to meet him at Breezehome and clearly the message had been passed along. He sat up, but was not prepared for the slap that Aela delivered to his face. Compared to the other ones she'd given him, it was relatively light. "_She must be in a good mood"_ he thought to himself while wincing.

"Where have you been?!" Aela asked harshly. "You sent us back from Alftand after saying you'd be back soon! Soon! Being gone for three weeks is not soon! And then you have the nerve, THE NERVE! To show up as I'm out on a job! And then you're gone by the time I get back! Four weeks Varion! Four! Damn! Weeks! Without even a word! You promised you'd come back soon!" Aela ranted. Varion just sat there and took it, waiting until she calmed down. "Well? Say something!" Aela continued, a bit less angry now.

"It's good to see you" Varion replied simply, and the look Aela gave him was one that made him smile a bit. He stood up just as she hugged him and he returned it fully, genuinely happy to see his friend again. He knew she was worried, he couldn't blame her. After Skjor and Kodlak, she was extra protective of her friends now. He felt guilty about making her worry, but he knew her anger was born of fear and relief, she'd be fine within minutes.

"I'm glad you're back" she mumbled into his chest.

"I'm sorry that I was gone for so long, though you being away on a job was not my fault" he pointed out. "That's why I called you two here, to explain what's going on. I'll need your help very soon" he announced, prying Aela off him, a difficult task with her comically refusing to let him go. After he did, she took a seat and Varion sat down on the edge of his bed.

"So, why'd you want to see me? Surely it was more than just to catch up, or you'd have come to Jorrvaskr for your weekly visit" Aela joked and Varion rolled his eyes.

"I wanted you both to hear this, saves me the trouble of saying it more than once. I've been off arranging a peace meeting between Ulfric and Tullius" he explained. At their raised eyebrows, he continued. "In order to finish off Alduin, I need to capture a dragon ally of his to find out where he's gone. To do that, I need Balgruuf's help with Dragonsreach, and he won't do that while the civil war rages" he continued, only then noticing Aela's surprised expression. "Oh, yeah. Aela, I fought Alduin. I won, but he flew away. Forgot to tell you that. I'll fill you in later" he said sheepishly, choosing to ignore her large frustrated sigh.

"Next you'll tell me you met with a god. Or a daedra" she muttered. At Varions blank expression, she just facepalmed. "I don't even want to know…"

"Anyways, I'll need your help Lydia, and the companions, to make sure this truce meeting goes smoothly. Can I count on you to help me?" he asked and he was met with certain nods.  
"Of course harbinger. You can always count on us" Aela said.

"You will always have my help Varion" Lydia confirmed and Varion smiled.

"Awesome. The meeting takes place in two weeks, so I'll discuss details with you all later. But in the meantime, we've got two weeks to kill" he started, smiling at the looks that they gave him. "How do you feel about going on another adventure?"

* * *

A/N:AND WE'RE BACK! So sorry to break my schedule, but after "Dragon's Bane", I needed a break. That chapter took a lot outta me, but we're back and better than ever in what you could call "Season 3" of the Legend of Varion! Don't expect all the new chapters to be this long by the way, this was certainly the exception, not the rule.

So, we're in the final stages of the main quest! Varion's done some mental training, he's done some good deeds and now some peace treaty organisation. Yeah, the life of the Dragonborn never slows down! After this chapter, I'll be getting back to hopefully my regular Sunday schedule, I was just too excited to get this chapter out, you guys have been too patient with me and I love you for it.

Thanks for reading, favourite, follow and review, and I'll see you in the next video!


	33. Politics Be Damned 2 - Another Adventure

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion spent the better part of a fortnight arranging a peace council between the Empire and Stormcloaks. Now with another fortnight to wait before the actual event, he decides to spend it with his friends. Of course, he didn't exactly have normal "catch up time" in mind…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

"Why is it that whenever we get together, you drag us off on some quest?" Faendal asked with mock annoyance as he trudged behind Varion as they approached the Jarls hall. The ride to Morthal had been one of their shorter ones, all things considered, but it still took time and was a fair distance to travel. Aela and Lydia also followed behind the two men as they entered Highmoon Hall, the Jarl's palace in Morthal. They'd seen an unusual job listed on the companions board, one regarding a house fire in the city. Varion had no idea what this would entail, but it promised a good reward and it would likely chew through enough time to make the wait til the peace council more bearable. Jarl Idgrod sat on her throne, regarding the group with a welcoming expression.

"Welcome to Morthal travellers. What brings you here?" she asked kindly.

"My Jarl, we're here regarding the job you sent out to the companions. The one about the housefire" Varion replied, showing her the letter containing the details of the job.

"Excellent. Though I doubt you'd need four of you?" she said with a raised eyebrow, leaning to the side slightly to look at every member of the group.

"Safety in numbers. And our leader enjoys the company" Aela reasoned, elbowing Varion with the last comment. He didn't give her the satisfaction of a reply. Idgrod nodded.

"Right, well, let me explain the situation. A few weeks ago, there was a house fire in Morthal, Hroggars house. Killed his poor wife and child, but he was left unharmed. Strangely, he took Alva on as a lover immediately after, before the ashes had even cooled" she explained. Varion clenched his fist instinctively.

"_That vampiric bitch…"_ he thought with large annoyance. He'd warned her that he'd kill her if she did anything to harm the citizens, and he intended to make good on that promise now if she'd been involved.

"This has led the townsfolk to suspect Hroggar started the fire himself, despite his claims" Idgrod continued. "Adding to that the increase in strange noises from the marsh, plus the wizard now living among us, and they're all spooked. If Hroggar did murder his family, then he must face justice" she said with a sad tiredness to her words. "I need this sorted out, if you can determine what happened, I'll reward you handsomely" she offered. Varion nodded.

"Of course, but a question. Why ask the companions for help with this?" he asked curiously. Surely this was a matter more for the town guards. Idgrod sighed.

"With all these strange occurrences happening, the townspeople are nervous, distrustful. I thought it would be better to get the companions, as you are respected throughout Skyrim" she reasoned. Varion glanced at Aela and she shrugged. The Jarls plan made sense in a way.

"We'll get some answers, don't worry" Faendal said reassuringly before the four made their way outside.

"This is not the job I expected from the Jarl" Aela admitted. "Detective work isn't really my thing. Tracking yes, but this…" she trailed off. Varion shrugged.

"It's a job and we're getting paid for it. Let's get to work. Lydia, Faendal, go ask around about this house, I want to know all I can about Hroggar and what happened" he ordered, gesturing to the town inn. Aela, you're with me. We'll see if we can dig up anything" he continued, making his way over to what looked like the burnt down ruins on a home near the edge of town. The others shrugged and did as he asked. As Varion got closer, he saw the devastated building. It was a wreck, ash covering the floor, walls almost completely gone. Varion stepped into the ruin and looked around, sifting through the ash a bit.

"Smell anything?" Aela asked, sniffing the air. Varion did the same, using his enhanced senses to help, but it didn't seem like there was anything unusual. He grabbed the remains of a chair and moved it to the side, but it seemed like really nothing had survived the blaze.

"Who are you?" a young voice asked from behind him. Varion spun around quickly, glancing over at the source of the noise. A young girl sat in the corner of the ruins, except she was ethereal.

"_Ghostly children. What next?"_ Varion thought sarcastically, but slowly made his way over to her. Aela saw her too and exchanged a glance with Varion. "Wait" he mouthed, and Aela nodded in understanding. He knelt down in front of the child. "I'm Varion. Who are you?" he asked softly.

"I'm Helgi. But father says I'm not meant to talk to strangers. Are you a stranger?" she asked innocently.

"No, I'm not. I'm here to find out what happened to this house. Do you know?" Varion asked in the same tone he'd spoken to Sofie with a few days ago, hoping it would make this ghost child feel at ease. She tilted her head, then nodded.

"The smoke woke me up. It was hot, and I was scared, so I hid. Then it got cold and dark. I'm not scared anymore" she answered. Varion blinked.

"_Does she even know she's dead?"_ he wondered. He was about to say something, but Helgi continued talking.  
"I'm lonely. Will you play with me?" she asked. Varion resisted the urge to sigh in annoyance. Of course it wouldn't be a day in his life without having to deal with something he didn't want to do.

"Sure. What will we do?" he asked, keeping his tone level.

"How about we play hide and seek?" Helgia asked excitedly. "We'll have to wait till night time though. The other one is playing too, and she can't come out until dark" she added. This got Varions interest.

"Who's the other one? A woman you know?" he asked. Helgi looked away nervously. "_She's scared of them,"_ Varion thought with intrigue. This could be actually beneficial to getting the answers he wanted.

"I can't say. She'll hear me" Helgia replied quietly. "If you find me first, I'll tell you, I promise," she added. Varion nodded in response. "See you tonight!" she exclaimed before fading into invisibility, as ghosts do.

"Well, that was a thing" Aela said bluntly. Varion nodded, similarly unphased by possibly the strangest thing he'd seen in a week.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"Seems old Idgrod was onto something. You wouldn't find a child's ghost in every towns burnt down homes" Varion reasoned. Aela snorted in response at his attempt at humour. "So, I'm playing hide and seek with a ghost tonight, and there's a 'she' out there that's trying to find her first. Any idea where to find a ghost?" he asked.

"A graveyard? I mean, that's where the dead are" Aela reasoned. Varion shrugged, it was as good a place to start as any. They met up with Faendal and Lydia in Morthal's inn and told them of their encounter. Surprisingly, none of them were particularly disbelieving over the fact that Varion talked to the ghost of a girl.

"_Then again, they have been with me through ruins of undead warriors before"_ Varion reasoned. They decided to wait in the inn until nightfall, making small talk to amuse themselves. Varion, in the back of his mind, was pondering about this "she" that Helgi was afraid of. "_Could it be Alva? That bitch…"_ he thought darkly. He hadn't forgotten the vampire he'd met here so long ago, and how he'd allowed her to live. Sure, killing her would've been a very bad move with no proof to mark her as a threat besides her being a vampire, but he still felt like he could've made a mistake. Night came soon and the four of them headed to the graveyard, having received directions from one of the town residents. As they approached the burial stones, Varion noticed one of them had been partially unearthed. It was a small coffin, and Varion would've bet money that it was Helgi's. "Someone was trying to dig her up. Why?" he wondered. Receiving no answers from the others, he was about to move towards it when he heard footsteps running towards the group and a scream of pain and he tensed, preparing for a fight. As he turned, placing a hand on his greatsword, he was greeted with an interesting sight. A woman with glowing eyes was standing about 3 metres away from him, fangs bared. The surprising part was that, for one, it wasn't Alva, and for two, she had been impaled by Aela and Lydia through the stomach and chest simultaneously before Varion had even taken action against her. The vampire's eyes flickered with surprise before they faded, a sign of death for a vampire. Varion glanced at the two women who had killed her who just shrugged.

"Saw her coming" Aela offered in explanation.

"Sworn to protect you," Lydia added. Varion chuckled.

"I mean, I was thinking of interrogating her, but this works too" he replied, then turned to the coffin that had a faint blue glow emanating from it.

"You found me! Laelette was trying to find me too, but I'm glad you found me first. You see, she was told to burn mummy and me, but she didn't want to. She wanted to play with me, forever and ever. So she kissed me on the neck and I got so cold that the fire didn't even hurt. Laelette thought he could take me and keep me, but she can't. I'm all burned up. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep for a while now" the coffin/Helgi said. The glow faded and Varion sighed. He turned and looked at the dead vampire.

"So, this is the one who burned down Hroggars house huh? I thought it would've been Alva. Seems Morthal had more than one vampire living among them" Lydia remarked. Varion crouched and got a better look at the dead woman.

"It was either that, or…" he trailed off.

"Alva got to her" Faendal finished for him. Varion clenched his fist.

"Damn it. I warned her…" he growled.

"Varion" Aela called warningly. Varion glanced up and noticed the small crowd gathered around them now, having heard the commotion. One man pushed through the rest, took one look at the woman Varion was kneeling beside and let out a choked sob.

"YOU!" he shouted. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" Varion frowned.

"Nothing. She was a vampire, she tried to turn Helgi into a vampire too. We killed her in self defence" he replied simply. The man looked at Laelette and saw her fangs, dropping to his knees in sadness.

"I, I don't understand. Laelette… She said she was going to join the Stormcloaks. She left last week. How did this happen…" he sobbed. Varion stood up and looked down at the crowd. He noticed a few of them looking uncomfortable at the admission of Stormcloak support, but they seemed respectful enough to not mention anything. Varion looked back at the man.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Why does it matter?"

"I'm going to find out who did this. I already have an idea. I need you to work with me" he replied. The grieving man looked up at him.

"My name is Thonnir. And this is, was, my wife Laelette. We were married for years, happily. How did this happen?" he asked, slowly becoming less distraught.

"She was turned by someone else. Was she acting strange before this happened? Spending time with anyone unusual?" Thonnir pondered this.

"Well, actually, she spent a lot of time with Alva. It was strange, the two of them never got on before, argued over everything and anything. But they were together a lot before her disappearance. I just thought they'd mended their differences" he explained. Varion clenched his fist.

"How well do you know Alva?"

"Well enough" Thonnir shrugged. "I've never had a problem with her. She was the one who told me about Laelette going to the stormcloaks. Before this…" he trailed off. Varion nodded and patted Thonnirs shoulder in reassurance, then gestured to his companions as they walked towards the proper town of Morthal.

"That sounded pretty conclusive" Aela muttered once they were away from the crowd.

"My thane, all these links, it's very suspicious" Lydia said in agreement.

"Alva will bleed for this. But we'll need proof before we go butchering anyone" Varion replied, tempering his anger. "If Alva has lived here for a considerable amount of time, chances are she's found ways to disguise her vampiric features from the townspeople. Lydia and I were new there, so she couldn't work it on us" he reasoned, remembering his few previous encounters with vampires and their illusion magic.

"Fair guess. I say we find out where she lives, and then we look for evidence" Aela suggested, and Varion nodded in agreement. After a bit of asking, they found the address easily, though the guards were polite enough to not ask their reasoning once they mentioned they were with the companions.

"Careful Varion. Idgrod told us Hroggar moved in with Alva. We might have to fight him too" Faendal warned. Varion shrugged.

"Do I look concerned?" he asked bluntly. Frankly, he didn't think some random townsperson would be of any trouble, and he'd already gotten the jump on Alva already. The fact that he hadn't seen her was rather worrying. "_Perhaps she saw me and got out of town. Or she's in here"_ he thought grimly. Either way, he was going to keep his promise he made to her when he caught up with her. He gave a few knocks to the door.

"Who is it?" a male voice called out from behind the door.

"Hroggar?" Varion asked. "I've got answers about what happened to your wife and child," he added.

"I am not interested," the voice replied. He spoke in a drone, sounding blindingly bored, like he was under a spell or something. Varion clenched his fist and prepared for his next idea.

"You'll hear it anyway. It all traces back to Alva. That vampire you're staying with" he spat, putting more venom into his words than necessary.

"How dare you!" the voice called out as the door opened, Hroggar stepping out to likely attack Varion. However, the much stronger dragonborn punched him in the face as soon as the door opened and knocked him to the ground. Varion then quickly placed him in a chokehold as Aela, Faendal and Lydia came into the house, shutting the door behind them. As he felt Hroggar go limp from unconsciousness, he stood up, leaving Hroggar on the floor.

"Well, that's this bastard taken care of" he noted absentmindedly.

"I'm surprised you didn't just beat him into unconsciousness" Faendal noted and Varion grimaced a bit.

"The man's a victim to vampiric illusions. Weak mindedness is not the kind of thing to knock his teeth out for" he explained. He pulled back Hroggars gums. "Look, no fangs. And his eyes weren't vampiric either" he elaborated. "This man's a fool, but an innocent fool" he finished before getting up and leaving the body where it was. The four of them then began searching the house, quickly making their way over to the basement door.

"Locked" Lydia groaned, stepping back from the door.

"Allow me" Varion spoke up, and he placed his hand on the door, allowing frost magic to freeze the wood of the door. After it was sufficiently blue, he stood back and gave it a strong kick, causing the thing to shatter into pieces as it did. He smirked, glancing back at Lydia. "After you" he said, gesturing to the stairs leading to the deeper levels.

"You're far too pleased with yourself" Aela snarked as she and Lydia walked down into the basement, the two men following after. Sure enough, there was a small room with a coffin placed in the middle of it.

"If I had any doubts, consider them crushed" Faendal muttered, moving to shove open the coffin. To their relief/frustration, Alva wasn't there, but there was a journal. Varion grabbed it and began to read through, his frown deepening.

"This isn't good. From what I can tell, Alva was turned by some master vampire called Movarth. They're planning to enslave the entire town" he announced. His solemn expression was shared by his companions.

"By this logic, Alva could be just as much a victim as the others" Lydia pointed out, now reading over the journal herself. Varion grimaced.

"Even if that is the case, she's still a danger. As long as her and this Movarth are still alive, Morthal won't be able to sleep soundly" he replied, not quite willing to put aside his dislike for Alva quite yet. After a few minutes, the four of them were back in front of the Jarl, presenting her with the incriminating journal.

"That traitorous bitch! Conspiring with a centuries old vampire, and after we welcomed her into our town!" Idgrod thundered. Needless to say, she wasn't happy with the evidence and Varion was pleased at that, seeing as she was probably going to stick a very nice bounty on Movarth's head. "Companions, you've done a lot for our town already, but I must ask more of you. Morvarth is an old enemy of Morthal, and we cannot allow him to continue scheming! Kill this vampiric bastard, and if you see Alva, kill her too!"

"It would be our pleasure," Varion replied.

"Good. Your reward will be waiting upon your return. Here, we kept a record of his lair's location, I'll mark it on your map" Idgrod offered, doing just that.

"Thank you Jarl Idgrod," Varion said, bowing slightly before beginning to walk out of the room with his friends at his back.

"Well, that went well" Faendal commented absentmindedly, fiddling with his bow on his back.

"It's about time we got a name, a place and an order to kill" Aela agreed. Varion grinned as he opened the door, only to find an angry mob waiting outside.

"What's all this?" Lydia asked, moving to stand slightly in front of Varion.

"We heard about the vampire, and we want to help you kill her! We will have vengeance for my wife!" Thonnir declared, and passionate and enraged shouts rose from the crowd behind him. Varion sighed and put a hand to his face in frustration.

"Alright, no. We don't need, or particularly want, your help" Varion said bluntly, leading to a mixture of confused and offended expressions from the crowd. Before it could spiral into an argument, he continued, moving in front of Lydia now so he could be well seen. "The four of us are highly trained warriors, two of us are from the companions and I'm from the Dawnguard. We're more than capable of handling this alone, you'd all just be in danger" he reasoned. With that simple bit of reasoning, the crowd's temper began to simmer down, many of them looking quite somber now that he'd killed their mood. Thonnir wasn't giving up yet though.

"This was why my wife died! I can't just sit back and let you avenge her for me! It would be cowardly!" he argued, but Varion held up a hand to silence him.

"And throwing your life away would be stupid. If you really, REALLY, want to tag along, I won't stop you, but I won't save you either" he warned. Reluctantly, Thonnir lowered his axe.

"Alright, you're right" he muttered, his head bowed in shame. He then looked up with anger still in his eye. "But make sure you make them bleed!" he growled. Varion nodded and gestured for his companions to follow as they moved towards the fight for the fate of Morthal.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Of all the dark, damp, dingy caves Varion had fought his way through, Morvarth's lair really wasn't that bad, all things considered. The vampires were a little worse than your average thugs, but the thralls went down like nothing. Annoyingly, he found himself largely useless in this battle anyway. Faendal and Aela had convinced him to take the stealth route and so he found himself quietly sneaking behind them while they killed everyone with a single arrow each, two for the vampires. "_Just get an arrow and the element of surprise. Instant win. Where's the fun in that? Damn stealth archers..."_ he groaned internally. Anyone that they failed to down in one shot was quickly cut down by Lydia, seeing as Varions weapon was too large and heavy for a stealth mission, leaving him feeling quite left out. One thing that did disturb him though was the sheer amount of gore. Each room of the cave was practically blood-stained or littered with entrails, human or otherwise.

"By the eight…" Faendal muttered as they walked through one particularly nasty smelling room, glancing around. There was a pile of corpses in the corner, at least fifteen, though Varion didn't feel like counting. Well, calling them corpses may have been a little generous, with how they'd had their blood drained and bodies mutilated.

"Vampires are true monsters. They surrender whatever humanity they have once the hunger for blood comes on. They'll butcher their fellow people without a second thought" Aela replied, a grim tone in her voice implying this wasn't the first vampiric lair she'd cleared out.

"They must be taking travellers from the road, or soldiers. I saw some imperial weapons a few rooms ago, and some stormcloak armour" Lydia added and Varion frowned.

"This Morvarth, he's not some ordinary vampire. He's powerful, to be running an operation like this" he muttered.

"We have to stop him before the people of Morthal end up in a pile like that one" Aela growled and Varion nodded in agreement as they continued on. The stench of blood was disgusting, but Varion didn't stop going. If they failed here, that blood would soon cover all of Morthal, and with an entire town under their control, Morvarth could likely launch an assault further.

"_Gods damn these vampires. Abominations…"_ he growled internally. These creatures were plagues on Nirn and he'd happily wipe them all out if they kept performing atrocities like this. Before too long, they walked down a passage onto an outcrop overlooking what appeared to be a throne room, though it was more like a large cave room with a table in it. It was a great sniping platform, and Aela and Faendal thought as much, grabbing an arrow from their quivers.

"I thought a vampire's lair would be more flashy?" Lydia asked from behind him. Varion allowed himself a small twitch of the lips at that, even if it wasn't intended as a joke.

"I guess he wasn't planning on staying here" he replied, taking note of how bare bones the room was. "They must be ready to move into Morthal soon," he noted. "_Good thing we got here when we did"_.

"I'll assume that guy at the throne is Morvarth?" Aela asked before sniffing and recoiling. "He reeks of undeath".

"Yeah, that's him," Varion replied. He was currently in the middle of a meal, feasting on some poor soul's body while drinking what he could only assume was blood from a goblet. Either way, he was distracted, and so were the other three vampires in the room. "Reckon you can drop him with one arrow?" he asked Aela.

"Unlikely. Powerful vampires usually take a bit more than a single arrow to go down, and this one is apparently enough to endanger all of Morthal" Aela replied tightly, drawing back an arrow and trying to find a good angle to shoot at.

"Perhaps we could shoot at him together like we did the others? Even if it doesn't kill him, it'll likely cripple him?" Faendal suggested. Varion pondered this, then came up with an idea.

"No, this guy is mine. Even if his magic is strong, it'll be easier to fight one mage than three. You three take out the other vampires, preferably quickly, and I'll focus on Morvarth, I'll shout him down. The thralls won't be any trouble" he reasoned and everyone nodded, it sounded like a fine plan to them.

"Ready?" Aela asked, taking aim at one of the three other vampires in the room apart from Morvarth.

"Do you see Alva?" Varion asked first, scanning the room.

"No, she's not in the room. Why?" Aela asked, likely wondering why this was his focus now.

"Precautionary measures, and I wanted to kill her as well if she was here" he shrugged in reply. "Ok, ready now".

"Good luck" Faendal replied and with that, the archers released their arrows and they buried themselves in the heads of the vampiric targets.

"Who dares intrude-" Morvarth bellowed, beginning to rise up, but Varion shouted him down. Literally.

"FUS RO DAH!" he roared, but something happened that surprised him. Morvarth quickly threw up a ward to intercept the wave of forceful energy and while he was pushed back, he remained on his feet.

"_Well, that's new"_ Varion thought angrily as he drew his sword and leapt down into the main room. Thankfully Lydia had already killed the third vampire via axe throw and his friends were keeping all the thralls off his back, so he had a clear shot at Morvarth. He leapt forward and swung his sword down, but Morvarth was fast and quickly sidestepped. He delivered a harsh kick to Varions face, knocking him backwards, though he kept his hand on his sword. Morvarth's weapon of choice was what looked like an ebony dagger, and while Varions armour protected him against anything immediately lethal, the dagger was a lot quicker than his greatsword and Morvarth was practically running circles around him. The Blade of Whiterun could likely cut him in half with one swing and burn the remains, but he couldn't land a hit on Morvarth. He ducked, rolled and sidestepped around all of Varions swings while whittling him down little by little. The dragonborn could feel himself weakening and needed a new tactic. "FEIM" he shouted, turning ethereal for a few moments as he took the time to breathe.

"Coward" Morvarth snarked, twirling the dagger between his fingers. "Your blood shall satisfy me greatly, not many foes have lasted this long against me" he chuckled evilly. "Or perhaps I should keep you as a thrall? Having minions with your skills, or that of your friends, would be most beneficial" he added, gesturing over to where Aela, Lydia and Faendal were fighting off more vampires that had come from the back rooms of the cave, likely attracted by Varions shout.

"_Don't let him rile you up. I need to think smart"_ Varion began thinking, before then growling and changing his mind. "_Screw it. I'll do this the old fashioned way"_. With that, he sheathed his sword and willed himself to become tangible again. Morvarth scoffed.

"You wish to surrender? I have no need for thralls that are cowards!" he bellowed and charged forward, dagger raised to strike. However, Varion was ready for this. He stepped in close and grabbed Morvarth's wrist with one hand and applied a lot of pressure before punching the dagger out of his hand. He then released the wrist and drove an elbow into the vampires head, making him stumble back a little. Varion then delivered a powerful front kick to his chest, knocking him off his feet. Varion breathed deeply and got into a fighting stance.

"_Morvarth. Former hand to hand teacher at the Fighters Guild in Cyrodiil. This won't be pretty"_ he thought with irritation. Lydia read about Morvarth in a book called "Immortal Blood" during her days training in Whiterun and remembered some details about it on the walk to the lair which she'd shared. This man used to be a vampire hunter before he was turned by a priest many, many years ago. Clearly he'd learned to use a weapon in the time since that, but unarmed was likely still his speciality and Varion was prepared for a hard hand to hand fight. However, now that he wasn't swinging around a massive sword, Varion was confident that his speed and strength would be enough to take him down if he got in one good hit. Morvarth threw the first punch but Varion knocked it aside and threw a hook of his own, only for Morvarth to duck under it and deliver a punch to his stomach. Despite Varions armour, Morvarths vampiric strength was enough to compensate and Varion grimaced at the attack. However, he delivered a downward punch and caught Morvarth in the head before the vampire stepped back out of his reach and the two circled each other. Morvarth threw another punch, but Varion caught it and pulled him forward as he drove his foot into Morvarth's stomach, kicking him off his feet and back a couple metres. As he rolled back to his feet, Varion moved forward and started throwing attacks of his own. Before long, he had Morvarth on the defensive. He may have been a vampire, but he'd also been wasting his time in a cave for decades whereas Varion experienced combat every other day. In addition to that, while his vampiric strength may have been enough to make Varion grimace from his attacks, Varion's strength sent him stumbling or sprawling with every blow. After blocking a haymaker from Morvarth, Varion grabbed him around the back of the neck with one hand and grabbed his wrist with the other and drove his knee into the vampire's stomach, causing him to spit up blood. Varion smirked, not that Morvarth could see that under his ebony helmet before delivering a strong push kick to his chest, causing the vampire to stumble backwards, out of breath.

"Afraid?" he taunted, earning a scoff from Morvarth in response.

"Morthal will be mine boy. I've lived too long to die at your hands!" he shouted and charged forward, throwing a straight punch. Varion moved to the side, wrapping one arm around Morvarth's arm and wrapping the other one around the vampire's body. Calling on his strength, Varion lifted him high with this hold and slammed him into the ground, stunning Morvarth. He then positioned himself, driving a knee directly into his face before standing up and stomping on both Morvarth's stomach and head. He then drew his greatsword and brandished it, seeing Morvarth's eyes widen in fear.

"Die by my blade then" Varion stated and drove the sword downwards, impaling the vampire through the chest and digging the blade into the ground. He took a step backwards and breathed deeply, watching Morvarth struggle feebly as his life was burned away.

"Nice work. I would've gone in there to help, but I didn't want you to feel left out" Aela noted, coming up behind Varion and placing a hand on his shoulder. Varion nodded.

"I'm just glad it was that easy. We need to find Alva, she'll be here somewhere" he replied, taking his sword out of Morvaths chest and stamping on the wound, causing his foot to pierce right through the body and create a much larger hole in him. He and his companions moved into the two backrooms of the cave, not finding anything in the first room, but finding a terrified Alva in the second one. "You…" Varion growled, wasting no time in punching her over before she could so much as say anything. She tried to get to her feet.  
"Morvarth, he-" she tried to say before Varion kicked her over.

"Varion, maybe we should hear her out?" Faendal suggested weakly, though Varion paid little attention. He grabbed Alva by the front of her clothes.

"Are there any other vampires around these parts? Any smaller branches to this coven?" he asked, his tone dead serious.

"No! It's just this cave! You've ended the coven!" she replied frantically, grasping at Varions gauntlet.

"Now, what to do with you?" he asked aloud. He looked her up and down. Her eyes weren't particularly bright, implying a recent turning.

"Morvarth made me do it! His words, his spells, he made me do what he wanted!" she begged and Varion considered her words. He tuned her out for a moment just to focus on himself, and was amazed at the calm he felt. He felt no urge to destroy her, to tear her apart like he did with Krev back in Gallows Rock or Alduin up on the mountain. He felt in control.

"Let's say I believe you. Do you think that justifies the crimes you've committed? A man's family is now ashes because of you. Those corpses out there? How many of them did you help murder? What about enslaving all of Morthal? I saw your journal, his plan. Do you think you deserve mercy after all that?" he asked, not yelling, but with a tone of ice. Somehow, this served to make Alva more afraid.

"You wouldn't understand! I didn't want any of this to happen! He manipulated me!" she pleaded, practically crying. Varion took a moment or two to consider his next action carefully.

"You have no place in Morthal anymore, you'll be killed within seconds. You will leave. You will leave Skyrim as soon as possible and head elsewhere, I don't care where. If you can find a cure for your affliction, do it. I don't want you draining the blood of innocents. I don't want to even hear rumours of your existence again, or you will die, painfully, and believe me, I can make that happen" he growled. She frantically nodded.

"I promise, you'll never hear of me again!" she cried. Varion dropped her and drew Dragonsbane and pointed it at her.

"Move" he commanded, and he escorted her to the cave exit. "Remember my warning Alva. If you make me regret this, you will" he reminded her, plain and simple. After nodding gratefully, she ran into the marsh, away from the city. He breathed out a deep sigh and turned around, only now taking in the confused and shocked expressions of his friends. "What?"

"You spared her?" Aela asked with confusion. "She's a vampire" she reminded him.

"I know".

"You promised her last time that you'd kill her if you found her again months ago. In fact, I'm pretty sure you wanted to kill her just a few minutes ago" Lydia added.

"I know".

"And, forgive me, but you tend to not show mercy to most things" Faendal concluded.

"I know. Anything else?" he asked. The others shook their heads. "Well, I guess I spared her because I wanted to. As in, I actually wanted to" he explained, though evidently it did little to quell their confusion. "Ever since I killed that first dragon, I've felt near merciless. I haven't felt a gut instinct that something doesn't need to die in months. It felt, well, weird. I decided to trust it" he reasoned.

"Doesn't seem like the most logical choice my thane," Lydia said, still confused.

"It likely isn't. But it was the only way I'd know" he replied with a shrug, turning around and beginning the trek back to Morthal. "Come on. Let's go tell Idgrod what we've done" he called out. The others didn't make any mention of it as they walked back to Highmoon Hall and collected the reward from the Jarl who was certainly pleased with their work. They did lie about killing Alva too, but with any luck, Varion would never hear about her again.

"Many thanks, companions. You've saved Morthal!" she said after handing over their reward.

"Pleasure was all ours my Jarl" Varion replied, bowing slightly.

"If there's nothing else, we'll be taking our leave now" Aela added.

"I won't keep you any longer. You four will always be welcome here" Idgrod said in farewell and with another round of bowing, the four turned and headed out of Morthal to wear they'd left their horses.

"Remind me to send a letter to Isran about this. He'll want to hear about what we found, and what we've done" Varion asked Lydia who nodded in confirmation. With nothing left to say, the four spurred their horses and began the ride back to Whiterun.

* * *

**A/N:I LIVE AGAIN! Thanks to all readers now more than ever, for not giving up on this story during it's two month break. In this time I've had COVID-19 stuff, and a bereavement to deal with, which understandably slows down my writing speed (plus this part of the game is kinda boring anyway, this is a filler chapter more or less). I promise to try and speed things up, maybe with weekly or fortnightly updates in the future, I do have school holidays coming up.**

**Anyways, HOLY HELL! I did not intend for this chapter, THIS FILLER CHAPTER, to be the longest chapter in the story so far. I guess I just got carried away with the writing, and at least I made my return with a sizable read, huh? To preserve my sanity, chapters from here on out will likely be much shorter unless they're important, I'll keep an eye on my word count.**

**Read, favourite and most importantly review, and I will see you all in the next chapter!**


	34. Politics Be Damned 3 - A Truce

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion and his friends travelled to Morthal on a job request for the companions which turned into a vampire extermination to save the city. They were successful and now return to Whiterun, with the truce negotiations only a few days away now…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"I'd normally not get you all involved in this, but this may be necessary to avoid problems" Varion began, looking around the room at the Circle. Aela, Vilkas and Farkas all sat in chairs facing him, their expressions neutral. "We're putting the leaders of both the imperials and stormcloaks in the same room, tensions will be high" he continued. "A fight could break out at any moment, and I'd like for the strongest warriors in Skyrim to be there to help defuse the situation" he finished. The others considered this.

"You want us to fight the general and Ulfric?" Farkas asked. Varion shook his head.

"Not necessarily. But having the three of you present there, alongside some of my other associates, could help dissuade them from starting any trouble. You'll be the only ones armed, and you all look pretty intimidating" Varion elaborated.

"I'm in" Aela replied quickly, causing Varion to give her a small smile. He should've figured she'd be willing to help him out.

"If the harbinger commands it" Vilkas said with a shrug. "This will help you stop the dragons, yes? Then I'll play whatever part I need to" he added.

"I'll follow my brother, and you Varion," Farkas said simply. The dragonborn smiled at their cooperation.

"Thank you, I appreciate your help" Varion replied truthfully.

"We'll always stand by you Varion, remember that. Kodlak named you harbinger, and we all respect you greatly" Vilkas assured him.

"Well yes, but this isn't exactly a normal mission. You'll be witnessing a bunch of fools arguing politics for gods know how long, not exactly an enjoyable evening. No idea how I'm going to keep my cool" Varion admitted. He was dreading this truce meeting, he was a warrior, not a politician! Hearing a bunch of people who hated each other ramble over and over about things that didn't matter would just irritate him to no end, he was sure of it, especially when he couldn't shut them up with a sword.

"Kodlak sometimes gave the Jarl counsel on such matters, and he found it about as enjoyable as you do," Aela explained, a faint smile on her face as she reminisced through the memories. "However, these kinds of things will test the other important aspect of being Harbinger. Talking, using words and wisdom instead of a blade, keeping a cool head. A large part of why Kodlak named no successor among the three of us I think" she admitted. Varion pondered her words and found himself agreeing, Kodlak had done not much fighting in the time that he knew him, but the old man had spoken with such wisdom, authority and clarity that he'd maintained just as much respect as an ace fighter. It was quite the daunting image for Varion to live up to and he knew for sure that he wasn't there yet. He guessed that Kodlak had named him Harbinger not only because of his skill in battle and decent leadership, but because the role would help him to continue growing and developing as a person, so he wouldn't become a living weapon, as he was on his way to becoming before he ended up in Riverwood after Helgen.

"I'll keep that in mind Aela," Varion replied. "In the meantime, it'd be best that we make our way up the mountain. Have you guys ever climbed 7,000 steps?" he asked. The looks ranging from excitement to annoyance answered his question for him, and he chuckled at the sight. He truly loved his companions, his found family in this strange little guild.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"The only ones armed will be the companions and my housecarl. All other weapons will be confiscated at the door, and if they refuse to hand them over, then they can head back down the mountain" Varion explained, now standing at a table with the greybeards in High Hrothgar two days after he'd gotten the companions to agree to stand guard. He'd spent the first of those days discussing the potential rules and regulations of the treaty meeting with Jarl Balgruuf (and establishing what he wanted out of the whole thing) and travelling to Ivarstead and the second day making the climb to High Hrothgar. The circle had all made it easily, seeing as they still had the wolf blood to empower them. Lydia wasn't so lucky, lagging behind, though Varion stayed at the back with her to keep her company. Thankfully Arngeir had permitted them all to stay at High Hrothgar until the treaty was resolved, which was only two days away.

"The men of war will not surrender their arms so easily. Nor will they respond well to being told to leave" Arngeir warned.

"They won't dare start a fight here, not with the Greybeards and the Dragonborn standing nearby. They'd need the arrogance of the Thalmor to try it" Varion replied, speaking the name of the Thalmor with noticeable venom. Arngeir frowned at his change of tone, but said nothing on it.

"The greybeards do not fight, and I would appreciate it if you didn't either while at High Hrothgar" the old man requested. Varion rolled his eyes, taking a moment to consider his answer before thinking of a response.

"Fighting won't be necessary. The fact is that you have the potential power to kill everyone in the room with a whisper. Regardless of whether or not you ever would, you always could. That'll be more than enough to discourage any violence" Varion explained. "Sometimes the knowledge of power is enough of a deterrent," he added. Arngeir nodded, his calm nature returning.

"A wise philosophy Varion. I am impressed" he replied. Varion gave a nod of thanks and continued discussing the plans. Balgruuf had only made one demand, that Whiterun remain neutral in the proceeding regardless of the outcome. Varion had been all too eager to agree, he didn't feel like having imperials or stormcloaks wandering around the city while he slept, at least not until he sorted out his allegiance.

"_If, I sort out my allegiance. If"_ Varion reminded himself. Despite the constant fighting and death that was happening every day thanks to this war, Varion didn't find himself with much desire to do anything about it. He disliked the attitude of the stormcloaks, he wasn't much of a fan of the Thalmor that the empire had chosen to bow to, he didn't really have a preferred side in this matter. "_Might just take Balgruuf's approach. Stay neutral until I'm forced to pick a side. Sounds kinda boring though"_ he continued pondering before shaking his head and coming back to the present.

"This all seems to be in order. I hope you have a plan to get them to listen" Arngeir said, causing Varion to grimace.

"Only advantage I have is that if they don't shut up and get along, the world ends. That would be enough to convince any rational man, but this is war, and a nord is leading one side. We're known for our stubbornness" he replied grimly. With that happy note, Arngeir bid him goodnight and retired to his quarters with Varion choosing to do the same shortly after. The brothers would be sleeping in one of the spare rooms while Aela, Lydia and himself would share another. He took a seat on his stone bed, taking a moment to think about the upcoming events.

"You ready?" Lydia asked, glancing over at Varion.

"Not really. But I guess I'll have to be. Skyrim could potentially fall apart if this meeting goes to pieces" he replied with annoyance. "I wish people could put aside their personal grievances to focus on the bigger picture, especially when this is the apocalypse we're talking about" he explained. Lydia looked down for a moment, then back up at him.

"While I agree with your statement, perhaps you aren't in the best position to judge others from acting on personal feelings over objective good?" Varion snapped his head up and looked at her, taken off guard by her question. Lydia, clearly a little nervous about his reaction, quickly continued. "You've got to understand where they're coming from Varion. You may see this war as unimportant, but they don't. Try looking at it from their view, it might give you an idea on how to reason with them, you know?"

"I see your point" Varion shrugged, though he'd taken her words a little deeper than perhaps she'd meant. After a short silence, she bade him goodnight and went off to sleep. He soon followed, falling asleep while pondering life, undergoing some therapeutic self reflection, and wondering one question. "_So try to see their viewpoints, huh? Ulfric wants to rule Skyrim as a Nordic homeland, but he also hates the Thalmor, Skyrim's true enemy. On the other hand, Tullius fights to save Skyrim from a bloody civil war, but as an imperial he's under the boot of those High Elf bastards. Neither is perfect, but which is the lesser of two evils?"_

**X-X-X-X-X**

Unsurprisingly, the day did not begin smoothly. As Arngeir predicted, neither Tullius or Ulfric were eager to give up the weapons of their allies and themselves, but they eventually conceded them to the companions, even the hidden ones they'd planned on smuggling in. Surprisingly, it was easier to get Ulfric to hand them over, likely due to his faith in the companions, being "true nords" or something like that. Tullius had only put up a marginally longer fight before also seeing reason. However, as Varion glanced over at the doors of High Hrothgar, he saw a few unexpected guests, ones that he was sure wouldn't cooperate easily. "We're here for the conference Arngier. Are you going to let us in or not?" Delphine asked, clearly irritated.

"_Damn it. What are they doing here?"_ Varion groaned internally, not wanting Delphines fiery spirit to inflame some of the tensions at the council.

"You were not invited here. You are not welcome here" Arngeir replied simply, restrained anger in his voice. Varion had only seen the man this annoyed once before, when he'd mentioned that the Blades had helped him before.

"_And now they're physically here before him. Oh joy…"_ he continued mentally complaining.

"We have every right to be here! More so than you actually, seeing as we're the ones who set the Dragonborn on the right path!" Delphine hissed back. Arngeir looked ready to argue back before Varion spoke up.

"Delphine, enough with the antagonism. Why are you here?" he asked, not bothering to hide his irritation.

"For the peace conference. You need us if this is going to succeed, these old fools won't do anything to help" she replied testily, not taking her eyes off Arngeir. Varion rolled his eyes, annoyed more now, but he was spared having to say something as Esbern spoke up.

"Delphine, please, we are not here to rehash old grudges. Master Arngeir, with the knowledge we have of Alduin and the prophecy, I believe we can assist the Dragonborn in making sure this is a success" he said, seeming genuine in his words. Arngeirs stony gaze softened, if even for a moment.

"Very well, you may enter" he sighed, turning and walking off down the corridor dejectedly. Delphine rolled her eyes before moving to enter, but Varion stopped her.

"Don't cause any trouble," he warned. "This is the home of the Greybeards. Their turf, their rules" he continued. Delphine glared at him.

"Don't patronize me. Let's get this over with" she remarked tiredly, then made to move past him but Varion held an arm out.

"No weapons. Hand them to the companions, everyone at that table is going to be unarmed". Delphine looked ready to argue but Esbern cut her off.

"Very well Dragonborn" he replied, handing over his dagger. With an annoyed sigh, Delphine handed over her sword as well, Farkas taking both of them to a seperate room in High Hrothgar from everyone else's stuff. The Dragonborn sighed, leaning against a doorframe for support. He'd hoped not to deal with Delphine for a while yet. She was too focused on her own agenda to see the bigger picture, that was the last type of person you wanted at a peace conference.

"_Especially when that agenda involves me so heavily, and what I should be. Let's hope she's the last of my problems"_ Varion growled internally, shutting the monastery doors and heading back to the council room. He heard some arguing and discussing happening inside and steeled himself to deal with the people in the room, only to see a familiar, and very hateable face also there. "_Well, so much for Delphine being the worst of my problems"_ he thought with anger as he looked at Elenwen standing with the Imperials on their side of the table, standing smug as the Imperials argued with the Stormcloaks, admittedly in quite restrained ways. "_The hell is that bitch doing here? Will she recognise me from the party? If she does..."_ He began fantasizing several painful ways of shutting her up if she tried to get him in trouble, but it was cut short.

"Dragonborn, we are all ready. Are you?" Arngeir asked, causing Varion to snap his attention back to the matter at hand. He saw everyone look at him with varying expressions, argument temporarily suspended upon seeing his presence, and he noticed Elenwen's gaze harden. He allowed himself a small smirk at that, clearly he was on her "to kill list".

"I'm ready. Let's get this done" Varion announced, putting more confidence in his voice than he really felt, but sounding authoritative was going to be one of the biggest factors to this meeting's success, at least in his mind.

"No, wait" Ulfric spoke up from the Stormcloak side. Varion looked over at him, then followed his gaze over to Elenwen.

"_Oh no…"_  
"You insult us with the presence of that Thalmor bitch? Your chief Talos hunter?" Ulfric asked angrily.

"Jarl Ulfri-" Arngeir began, but was cut off.

"I would watch your tone Ulfric" Elenwen warned, her smugness audible in every syllable. "After all, the Thalmor have a right to be here. I must make sure nothing is agreed to that violates the White-Gold Concordat" she explained.

"You have some damn nerve!" Ulfric hissed back. Varion made a subtle head gesture and saw Aela, Farkas and Vilkas stand behind Elenwen, Tullius and Ulfric respectively, prepared to break up a fight if one broke out.

"You can't control who I bring to this council Ulfric" Tullius spoke up, but Varion could tell his argument was weak. He probably didn't want her here either.

"ENOUGH!" Varion called out above the arguing. "We're getting nothing done here. Let's resolve this, then get to business. Preferably as quick as possible" he added at the end, letting some irritation into his tone.

"You expect us to sit down at the same table as her?" Ulfric's sidekick (Galmar or something, Varions memory piped up) asked with disbelief, but Varion already had a response in mind for that.

"Yes. You will sit, but you don't need to talk. Elenwen may be here, but she has no say in anything that happens here, she's just a figurehead" he explained. The offended look on Elenwen's face was one he'd like to frame and put on his wall. "You aren't negotiating with the Thalmor, you're negotiating with the Empire". He hoped that would be enough, but Ulfric scoffed.

"They may as well be one and the same" he stated. Varion clenched his fist in annoyance, but thankfully the Jarl continued. "But you have a point. We should get this over with, and she is not to interfere, understood?" The last remark was directed at Tullius who simply shrugged in response. This satisfied the Stormcloak side, allowing everyone to finally sit down in peace.

"Jarl Ulfric, General Tullius. You have come here today in an attempt to arrange a truce to let the Dragonborn deal with the dragon crisis. I hope this will be the first step towards forging a lasting peace in Skyrim" Arngeir announced, adding the last part as what seemed like a hopeful afterthought. "I now hand proceedings to the Dragonborn" he said, gesturing to Varion.

"Right, I'll make this brief. I gathered you all here today in order to organise a truce, as Master Arngeir has stated. The dragons are a massive threat to all sides and I need to stop them, which is impossible while this war rages. We need to put it on hold for a while, hence why we're here today to negotiate. The only outside condition there is to this meeting is that, regardless of outcome, the Greybeards will be left in peace by all parties" he explained, sending a warning glance around the room, focusing on Elenwen. "That includes the Thalmor". Elenwen scoffed.

"You can't-"

"I just did" he snapped, shutting off her argument. He wasn't going to admit how good that felt.

"You dar-"  
"Quiet Elenwen. The Dragonborn is right on this matter" Tullius said, cutting off her argument.

"By my honour, the Greybeards shall be left in peace. I wouldn't dream of disturbing High Hrothgar, or insulting the Greybeards" Ulfric said in agreement. Tullius nodded as a way of concurring and Varion sighed in relief. That was one weight off his shoulders.

"Good, thank you.  
"The Greybeards thank you both" Arngeir added, before gesturing back to Varion to allow him to continue.

"Right. If you want to speak, speak. Negotiations are open" he declared. This triggered some murmurs and whispers from the attendants. Unsurprisingly, Ulfric was the first one that spoke up.

"The only reason I agreed to attend this council was to deal with the dragon menace. I have nothing else to discuss with the empire, unless they're ready to relinquish their unjust rule over Skyrim" he said, letting his loathing be heard clearly. Many sighs were heard from the imperials and an annoyed groan from the General.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist saying your peace Ulfric" an armoured woman spoke up (Rikke, if Varion remembered correctly from Castle Dour) replied with equal irritation. "Why don't you just tell us what you want? That's why you're here, isn't it?" Ulfric shrugged nonchalantly.

"We're here to organise a truce to assist the Dragonborn, nothing more. I consider even talking to the Empire an extreme show of generosity.

"Enough Legate, please" Tullius said, waving her off and she sat down dejectedly. Varion took notice of the man. He may not have had the hardy features of a Nord, but his gaze was authoritative and from what Varion had heard him say, he was certainly capable of stirring emotion from his words. "She speaks true Ulfric, you're just spouting insults. Are you here to negotiate, or to bluster? Because I'm not feeling very amicable after your current attempts to reason with me".

"Enough" Varion spoke up, ending the argument before it got out of hand. "Tullius is right. Let's negotiate. Not trade insults. Do that in your rallying speeches, not here".

"Fine. Dragonborn, Tullius, we want control of the city of Markarth. That is our price". That got some shocked gasps and Varion frowned at the demand.

"You have some nerve Ulfric. You really think that you can win cities at the negotiation table when you couldn't in battle?" Tullius growled, but Ulfric's rebuttal was cut off by Varion.

"I agree with the General. You're not getting any cities from the Empire" the Dragonborn stated firmly. Before anyone could comment, he continued. "And that goes the same way for the opposition. We're not swapping territory and holds today".

"You expect me to truce with the Empire and receive nothing in return?" Ulfric growled but Varion held up his hand for silence.

"Let me spell this out for you. I've taken a look at a war map of Skyrim," Varion began, pointing to a map he'd hung up on a wall earlier in prediction of this very argument, "and I see that you both are on even footing. You both control four holds, Stormcloaks on the east, Imperials on the west" he explained. If we gave Markarth to you, I'm sure the General would likely demand Riften in return, a city of equal size and stature, putting you back on equal footing and doing nothing for your overall position. I mean, how were you planning on getting your men to Markarth? Through the Imperial owned Falkreath?" Varion asked rhetorically. "I can warn you now, Whiterun is not up for the taking at this meeting even if we were doing this as a trade meeting, so there's no way for you to gain an advantage in pure numbers" he finished.

"A pretty speech, but then what do we get for making a truce with the Empire for now?" Ulfric asked with no small hint of anger.

"You all get to live," Varion said bluntly. "If I don't stop the dragons, they'll destroy your cities and your armies. It's a simple matter really".

"Then you had better get to killing them Dragonborn! It is your destiny!" Galmar chimed in gruffly.

"Then you had better agree to a truce! My destiny has nothing to do with this damn war!" Varion snapped back, allowing his voice to match the tone of Ulfric and Galmar.

"We want Markarth as a show of good faith, not a move of pure military strategy" Ulfric spoke up, but Varion rolled his eyes.

"I'm not here to help either side in this civil war, I'm here to end the dragon crisis, and that starts with you putting this little grudge match aside for a few damn weeks at best! If you don't, I will do nothing to protect you, rest assured. You're hardly endearing me to you at the moment Jarl Ulfric" he growled, barely remembering to address Ulfric by his title.

"Hear hear!" Jarl Elisif spoke up. Varion turned his gaze to her, surprised to hear her speak at all seeing as she'd been nearly silent so far. "If you truly claim to be a man of the people Ulfric, you'll swallow your pride and do this for them!" she continued. Varion was impressed with her nerve and Ulfric even looked a little taken aback, but he didn't seem too phased.

"I am a man of the people Elisif, and that is why I will fight for them against those who would oppress them. I'm sorry Dragonborn, but unless we receive something as a show of faith for this truce, there's nothing more to discuss. Come Galmar, we're leaving. I'll see you on the battlefield Tullius, when I cleanse Skyrim of Imperial weakness" Ulfric announced in farewell, standing up to leave. Arguing erupted from both sides and Arngeir put his head in his hands. Varion sat there trying to calm himself, clenching his fist tightly. The companions stood ready in case physical violence erupted seeing as Rikke had gotten to her feet as well, looking ready to take a swing at Ulfric or Galmar.

"SHUT UP!" Varion roared, getting silence in the room, though mainly because of shock and anger at his audacity. "All of you have no damn idea what we're dealing with! This is bigger than your stupid war!

"I agree!" Esbern called out, gathering the attention of all the people in the room. A more peaceful silence descended, much to Varions relief. "Are you all so caught up in your petty disagreements that you can't see the foe we all face? You sit here arguing about nothing while the fate of the world hangs in the balance!"

"Who might you be?" Tullius asked with a little indignation.

"My name doesn't matter General"

"But you will want to listen to what he says" Delphine spoke up, and for once Varion found himself a little thankful for her presence. "He understands the threat we face better than anyone". Varion took a glance over at Elenwen for fear she might recognise the Blades, but her face wore the same annoyed expression she'd worn since Varion shut down her protests.

"_That would just be the final nail in the coffin of a terrible day"_ Varion thought grimly.

"Don't you understand the danger? Don't you understand what the return of the dragons means? Alduin has returned! The world eater! He consumes the souls of those slain in your pointless war, your efforts only make him stronger! He will destroy all, unless the Dragonborn can stop him. Can you not put aside your hatred for even a moment in face of this mortal danger?" Esbern spoke, giving off authority Varion had never expected from the old man.

"A very pretty speech" Elenwen sneered, "but what does that have to do wit-"

"Shut up" Ulfric replied harshly, taking his seat again. "If he's right about Alduin, we both have as much to lose here Tullius, remember that".

"You should too Ulfric. We both need to agree, remember?" the General replied.

"Indeed you do. So seeing as neither of you can agree, I'll put forth my own terms. Agree to them, this meeting ends and I save the world. Then you can all go back to killing each other for no reason" Varion announced. He didn't miss the frowns on their faces, but didn't care.

"You speak of this war lightly Dragonborn. I thought, as the one who organised the peace council, you'd know the significance behind the conflict?" Tullius asked.

"I understand the reasons General, and find it hard to care when comparing it to the literal end of the world" Varion replied bluntly. "So forgive me if I don't have much respect for the war, or for either side. I mean, the both of you can't even agree to a truce for a few weeks to stop the apocalypse" he continued, letting frustration into his words again. "If you don't agree to these terms, the only ones we have, I'll do nothing, and you will all burn" he finished.

"You can't be serious Dragonborn?" Elisif said with shock. Varion found it a little hard to keep his face neutral. In spite of his anger, he couldn't bring himself to let Skyrim be destroyed, but he couldn't afford to appear weak if he was to get his point across. He had to appear as a powerful and ruthless monster, the very one that lived in him that he'd spent days trying to suppress at the top of the mountain the monastery they all sat in was built on.

"I am. Why should I defend those who'd do nothing to earn it? The days of this civil war are numbered anyway, the second I gain interest and step in the tables will turn and it will end quickly" he retorted, glaring at both Ulfric and Tullius. "So I'd recommend you both try not to earn me as an enemy, and the best way to do that is to let me do my damn job. Alduin is meant to bring about the end of the world and the start of a new one, what if the new one is full of people who are far more logical than this gathering of warmongers? It sounds like an improvement!" he continued, half shouting. He breathed deeply, trying to reign back in his emotions. Arngeir looked at him curiously, with a look of almost approval, perhaps agreeing with Varions negotiation strategy.

"Is that a threat?" Tullius asked and Varion looked back at him.

"No. It's the truth. Consider it the words of a man who's got all of existence riding on his success".

"Very well. What are these terms?" Ulfric asked. Varion blinked, surprised that the Stormcloak leader was the first to be agreeable, but he decided to take it as good luck.

"Right. First, the Imperial and Stormcloak's won't engage in any further violence for the duration of this truce, obviously" he started, figuring he'd better outline even the obvious. The nods encouraged him to continue.

"Second, Whiterun is to remain fully neutral and off limits. The Imperial and Stormcloak camps will be taken down and all soldiers will return to their own territories. No further soldiers will enter the hold from either side, and if they do and they're caught, we'll deal with them" he explained.

"Deal with them how?" Rikke asked.

"Imprisoned".

"You would have the nerve?" Galmar spoke, but Varions glare made him back down a bit.

"You'd have the nerve to send them into territory that isn't yours, nor enemy turf? Neutral ground? Then be silent! Consider it the price for trespassing!" Another deep breath allowed Varion to assess the crowd so far. No-one seemed up in arms, so he took it as a good sign.

"You agree to this Balgruuf?" Ulfric asked.

"The Dragonborn speaks on my behalf. I have full faith in him" the Jarl replied calmly and Varion mentally made a note to thank him later.

"Third, to ensure that you all live up to the terms of this treaty, all military camps in enemy territory will be withdrawn back to their own holds in order to avoid conflict. You can mark down positions of your camps on a map and provide it to the companions after this is over, for the sake of secrecy".

"We already know the locations of most of their camps," Tullius spoke.

"Same here" Ulfric admitted with a shrug.

"Details need to be provided regardless, just as a more tangible reassurance" Varion explained and both men gave an agreeable nod. "I believe that concludes the terms I have" he stated, leaning back in his chair. Arngeir had been writing all this down while Varion had been speaking and now had a list of the terms. "_Well, more like demands. I didn't give them much choice"_ Varion admitted mentally. He glanced around the room. Ulfric looked a little put out, Galmar looked annoyed, but Varion wasn't surprised seeing as they'd come there to win land and would walk away with nothing. The Imperials seemed more at ease, but still not what Varion would call happy. Elenwen looked positively irked, but that was no worry to Varion, if anything he found it funny. Arngeir read all the things listed down, then called up all the leaders from both sides to sign the paper marking the truce as official. He called up Varion last of all. "_Huh. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my signature would be on the same sheet as that of three Jarls and a military general"_ he thought, slightly off topic, looking at the signatures of Ulfric, Balgruuf, Elisif and Tullius. Arngeir then marked his own signature down and Varion breathed a sigh of relief. Against all odds, he'd pulled it off. The meeting had worked (though his threats of violence probably didn't help much). He turned, looking at everyone who had taken their seats again. "Ladies, gentlemen, I thank you all for your presence here, and for agreeing to a truce. Rest assured, Alduin will be stopped".

"He'd better be, Dragonborn" Ulfric warned. His tone wasn't angry or threatening, but the unspoken meaning was there.

"You have my word" Varion replied with a nod.

"Is there anything else to discuss?" Tullius asked and Varion shook his head.

"Unless anything here has something, we can consider this meeting over" he stated. Seemingly satisfied with that, Ulfric stood, gave a nod to Arngeir and left the room, taking his allies with him. Varion untensed a little at that. Ulfric's presence had put him a little on edge, he could feel the power of the voice within him and it wasn't inconsequential, even if Ulfric had no intention/chance to use it. The Imperials followed suit, only Varion was surprised with Elisif coming up to him.

"Thank you for your efforts Dragonborn. I'm sure you'll succeed in stopping the dragons" she said and Varion allowed himself to smile at that.

"It's Varion, Jarl Elisif. I thank you for your faith. I promise I'll stop Alduin" he replied while bowing slightly, though he still towered over her. She smiled and walked out of the room as well. Varion took a seat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. Hopefully all the leaders would go back to their cities and go through with their promises. "_They'd better, or I will be paying them a visit"_ he thought angrily.

"Feeling alright my thane?" Lydia asked, sitting next to him.

"Relieved. I can't believe that worked" he admitted. He saw Aela and sent her a smile, one she returned. That was enough to lift his spirits a little, and feel like maybe, just maybe, things were looking in his favour. He'd later look back on that and wish to slap his past self in the face for being so naive…

* * *

**A/N:HOLY TALOS!** **It has been a while. How are you all doing?**

**Sorry for the MASSIVE gap between chapters, but that's what happens when I go through personal shit and insist on writing chapters that are over 5000 words long. I need to stop doing that…**

**Hopefully you guys liked that chapter. It's very dialogue heavy yeah, but this part of the game always is. Next chapter I can promise some more action, but that may not come for a while. I'll try my best to get it out within two weeks, so have faith and it will arrive eventually. I promise I will not abandon this story! I've come too far to stop now.**

**Speaking of stories, I have an idea for another Skyrim story that I shall begin writing soon. However, I have a question. Would you all prefer if I published it alongside this one, so I'd have two running at once? Or wait till this one is concluded before starting the weekly uploads of that one? If I do the latter option. I'll have a lot more time to write this new story, so the uploads will be much more consistent, but you guys won't see it for a while. Let me know in the reviews.**

**Favourite, follow and review, and I will see you all in the next chapter!**


	35. Destiny Arrives 1 - Choices Made

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

With no small amount of frustration and thinly veiled threats, Varion managed to arrange temporary peace between the two warring factions, the Imperials and the Stormcloaks. Now he has to actually capture a dragon, but some unforeseen (or totally foreseen) problems might get in the way of that…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

"Dragonborn. A word please" Delphine called out. Varion resisted the urge to groan. After arranging the treaty, Balgruuf had given him his full support and Esbern had given him information on how to lure a dragon to Dragonsreach. Things were going great, but he had a feeling this chat would be the thing to break that goodness.

"What is it?" he asked, turning to face her. _I was almost leaving…_

"We need to talk. We've discovered something serious" she replied, motioning for him to follow her into an empty hallway of the monastery. "We know about Paarthurnax".

Varion was taken aback. "What?"

"We know that the leader of the Greybeards is a dragon. Paarthurnax. Even worse, he's not just any dragon. He was Alduin's chief lieutenant".

"That's nice. Have top marks on your history" Varion replied with deadpan tone.

"Take this seriously Varion!" she hissed. "That dragon committed unspeakable atrocities under Alduin's rule. He helped enslave all humanity! History demands that he die. He deserves to die!" she continued, not noticing or not caring about Varions expression growing darker. "And it falls to you to kill him." Varion saw red.

_This bitch is asking me to kill a friend? A mentor? Off of what? Crimes from thousands of years ago? _"Excuse me?"

"What's wrong? The Greybeards have been harbouring a dragon, the worst kind of dragon barring Alduin! You're Dragonborn, a dragonslayer! You have to kill him!" she insisted, evidently growing frustrated.

"I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING!" Varion shouted, causing her to flinch slightly. Understandable really, when an angry 6'5 armoured nord is yelling at you, and could set you on fire with one of those yells. Breathing deeply, Varion dropped his volume, but kept the anger in his tone. "You have the nerve, the audacity, to make that demand of me?!"

"As Grandmaster of the blades, yes! I'd be dishonouring my oath as a Blade if I were to help you any longer like this!"

"Grandmaster huh? So, what was that crap about your lot serving the Dragonborn? You should be taking orders from me, by that logic" he retorted, remembering her words from a while back.

"Evidently, times change!"

"Yes they do! And so do people, and dragons! Paarthurnax is one of the good guys now, he's the reason I've gotten this far!"

"And what about me? Without me you'd still be fumbling around with the Greybeards, accomplishing nothing!"

"Better that than being your puppet! Listen to me bitch, I'm not your slave, your tool! You have no power over me!"

"Is that your choice Varion?" she hissed, her voice ice cold. "You don't want me as an enemy!" Varion scoffed. Then he laughed. It was almost maniacal.

"You- you really believe that, don't you? That I should take you seriously?" he asked, ceasing his laughter. He drank in her offended expression before continuing. "Woman, I am the Dragonborn. I can shout with more power than a catapult, creating a blazing inferno with mere words, knock dragons out of the sky! What can you do? Fight with a sword. Yeah, like I can't do that myself, better than you as a matter of fact!" He was on a roll now, every built up frustration with her coming to the surface.

"Var-"

"No, I'm not done. You've been insufferable since the day I met you, and I'm sure that every bit of help you've given me has only been to further your own agenda of dragon extinction! Well I tell you, it ends here. Paarthurnax is not going to die!" His eyes widened a little as he saw her quickly draw her blade and level it at his throat, clearly furious.

"You listen here bastard!" she spat.

"No, you should keep listening," he replied. Her eyes widened as she noticed that he currently had a hand wrapped around her sword, the gauntlet keeping his palm from being sliced in half. "This is how it's going to go. You're going to leave. Go back to your temple. I don't need to go back there, I already have Dragonsbane, the only worthwhile thing in that place besides that carving," he started, glaring at her. "I don't need your help, I don't want your help, what I want is for you to leave. If you dare to come back to the greybeards, if you dare to try to harm Paarthurnax, I will kill you. Don't think I can't, don't think I won't" he growled, shoving her blade to the side away from his neck.

"Fine" Delphine growled, sheathing her sword and turning her back. She stormed away from him, Varion watching her go, his face still furious.

He followed her and saw her briskly leave the monastery, slamming the door as best she could considering it was heavy. Esbern looked at Varion, a defeated expression on his face.

"I take it she asked about Paarthurnax?" he asked softly.

"She did. I gave a clear answer."

"I'm sorry it had to come to this Dragonborn." Varion sighed, calming down.

"I'm sure. You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders, but you follow a fool. I wish you well Esbern, thank you for your help." The two shook hands.

"Please save this world Varion. That's all I ask" Esbern replied in farewell before turning and leaving. The Dragonborn breathed deeply, feeling drained from the conversations he'd just had.

"My thane? What happened?" Lydia asked, appearing behind him and noticing his posture and clenched fist.

"I made a choice. We won't be seeing the Blades again if I can help it" he replied tensely.

"I heard the argument," Arngeir added, also appearing next to Varion.

"You did?"

"You were shouting after all."

"Oh. Fair."

"I would like to thank you Dragonborn. For your wisdom and defence of our master."

"He is an extremely wise being. He deserves respect, and he has my protection." Arngeir nodded.

"High Hrothgar will always be open to you and your allies Varion."

"Thank you Arngier. Truly" he replied. Varion had come to truly value their support and their teachings, and while he personally couldn't follow their pacifist nature, he could still take on board their philosophy and use it as something of a grounding rock. He'd learnt about the Way of the Voice from Paarthurnax during his meditation up on the mountain and it had been key to suppressing his inner nature, if he wanted to call it that. He hadn't felt that urge to destroy in a long time and he was glad. Would've been pretty hard to arrange a peace council if he'd suddenly started speaking with a gravelly voice and ranting about destruction.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The next morning, he and his companions ate with the Greybeards before beginning the climb back down the mountain. Admittedly he could've used his brand new mountain descending technique, but he didn't feel like giving his travelling companions heart attacks so early in the morning, plus he enjoyed their company. However, he did use Clear Skies to ensure they weren't hindered by bad weather. With the sun on their backs and a surprising lack of wild creatures, it was honestly an enjoyable trek.

"Feeling good Varion?" Aela asked from beside him.

"Better than yesterday. I'm just glad the whole thing is over and done with now" he admitted. "I can get down to the real mission."  
"Capturing and interrogating a dragon?" Lydia asked, joining the conversation.

"Yes. Esbern gave me the name of a dragon. Od-Ah-Viing. I just need to shout that and apparently he should come to me, to challenge me."

"I'm amazed the Jarl is agreeing to this," Vilkas admitted.

"I got a truce for the civil war like he asked for, and the choice is between this and the end of the world. Not much of a choice at all really." His expression became a bit forced at that, seeing as it brought to mind the monumental responsibility that actually laid on his shoulders. The literal fate of the world.

"We believe in you Varion. Just remember that" Aela said softly. Varion smiled. How could he doubt himself so much when he had friends like this behind him?

"I know, and I'm grateful," he replied sincerely. They made light conversation for the rest of the way, the worries of the coming apocalypse out of their minds. After spending the night in Ivarstead (the bar owner was quite surprised to see Varion coming and going so often, but he certainly didn't mind the business), the group all began the ride back to Whiterun, taking things at a slower pace. When Lydia asked why he was so relaxed, Varion answered honestly.

"I'm the one challenging the dragon. He'll come to me. There's no need to rush back to Whiterun at full speed."

"Didn't that old man say something about Alduin devouring the souls of the dead to grow stronger?" Varion winced a bit, he hadn't forgotten about that entirely but it had slipped his mind that Alduin wasn't just returning to full power, he was growing stronger.

"I've grown stronger too. This won't be a problem, trust me" he replied, feeling about half the confidence he exuded. They arrived back at Whiterun at about midday, Varion taking the time to return to Breezehome and change out of his armour. Even for him it got heavy after a while. When he was changed into just a plain shirt and pants, he walked up to Dragonsreach where the Jarl was waiting for him.

"Varion. It is good to see you again" Balgruff said in greeting as they shook hands.

"Likewise my Jarl. Though I wish I was the bringer of better news" he admitted. "Are you ready to proceed with your part of the plan?"

"Ah, the dragon. While it still sounds impossible, you've proven more times than not that you can do the impossible. I'm putting my faith in you Varion, you haven't let me down yet" he replied, his voice full of confidence. Varion looked down, a small smile coming to his face before he met the Jarls eyes.

"My thanks. It means a lot" he admitted. "I was thinking we do this in three days. I'll need a good rest for whatever comes next." The Jarl agreed and soon Varion was sitting in Jorrvaskr, describing his plans to the companions and Lydia.

"So, you call the dragon, we trap it, you get your answers. Then what?" Aela asked.

"I'll have to go to Sovngarde I suppose. Then I fight Alduin" he replied.

"That's it?"

"Unless you have anything to add."

"It just seems crazy. We're inviting a dragon into Whiterun, plan or no plan" Vilkas said, doubt in his tone.

"That's why we have the Companions. If things do go wrong, the Circle should be enough to defeat this dragon, plus the Jarl, Irileth and Lydia. But I highly doubt this 'Odahviing' will pose too much of a challenge."

"You're awfully confident, Varion" Farkas stated. Varion shrugged in response.

"I can knock dragons out of the sky with a shout, plus I fought Alduin and made him retreat. I think I've earned the right to be a little confident." With those words, most doubt was dispersed from the group. He told them all the date of the plan and returned to Breezehome, Lydia following behind. Varion took a seat on his bed and closed his eyes. It was late at night and he was hoping to do some quick meditation before sleep, a habit he'd learned from his time with Paarthurnax, but Lydia followed him into his room.

"You need something Lydia?" he asked.

"No my thane, I'm just worried."

"I'll win Lydia. This dragon doesn't worry me."

"Not about that. About Alduin."

"Oh. Him." Varion couldn't blame her worry. He wasn't too sure about that fight either.

"Do you think you can beat him?"

"Of course I-" Varion stopped. He took a minute to clear away the confidence that he'd been forcing himself to believe and exude and just looked at the fight ahead with a clear mind. He had won against Alduin before, yes, but he'd had Paarthurnax with him there at the time. _Not to mention what I did in order to win._

"My thane?" she asked again.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. _Can I even win without tapping into that real nature of mine? It was such a rush…_ He grinned a little, remembering the feeling. He'd felt so strong, so angry. Recalling it now, he knew that he hadn't exactly become any stronger upon 'giving in', but he'd certainly become more bloodthirsty, more energised, and shouting was much easier. Pain seemed to invigorate him rather than slow him down.

_It was so great… but I can never allow myself to do that again. I might not come back._ "Lydia, I need to tell you something," he said.

"What is it?" she replied, a curious expression on her face.

"Ever since I took that first dragon's soul, when I discovered I was Dragonborn, I've been struggling with something" he began, trying best to put into words what he didn't fully understand. At her curious look, he sighed and continued. "It feels like I've got another presence inside my soul. An angry presence. Almost like a voice in the back of my head."

"I'm sorry my thane, but I'm not sure I fully understand?"

"I don't blame you. I don't fully understand it myself. You remember when I went to fight Alduin and I didn't come back for a week?"

"Actually Aela had dragged me out on a job to get my mind off waiting for you. So no, I don't. I only saw you three weeks later" she said, reminding him of his lack of care in keeping them updated. "Only the Jarl's word assured us that you were still alive."

"Oh. Right, sorry. Anyways, I stayed up on that mountain top for a week, training with the dragon Paarthurnax that lives there."

"Training? In the voice?"

"Yes, but also something else. When I fought Alduin, I was losing. He was too powerful." Varion clenched his fist, unsettled by the memories of that battle, the uneasy feeling that he might lose. "See, this presence, this inner nature, it's a side effect of my dragon soul as part of being Dragonborn. Dragons are naturally inclined towards evil, to dominate. It's in their soul, and it's in mine too." He glanced at her, curious as to how she'd be taking it so far. She looked unsure, but not afraid yet.

"Well, I suppose that would help explain your temper."

Varion couldn't help the laughter. Lydia chuckled a bit as well after seeing his reaction. "Yes, I suppose you can look at it like that." His tone then returned to seriousness. "I've struggled with that side of me for a long time now. The anger, the desire to destroy. I've felt that voice in my head tempt me over and over, but I resisted. However, on that mountain against Alduin…" He paused, taking a breath and recalling the feeling. "I gave into that pull and I became… something else."

"It sounds hard to believe my thane" Lydia said tentatively.

"It is. But I swear it's the truth. I felt amazing, instead of having to reign in my dragon nature it was working with me. Pain felt invigorating, I could handle shouting easier and I felt like I could keep fighting forever" he recalled, a slight smile. He then frowned. "But emotionally, it was quite horrifying. All that was on my mind was blood, destruction, to make Alduin bend to me before I killed him, preferably with brutality. In the fleeting moments when I didn't focus on Alduin, I was wanting to destroy Paarthurnax just because he was a dragon. In the few seconds in between Alduin leaving and me snapping out of that mindset, I imagined the land covered in blood and me standing on top of a mountain of bodies. Thalmor, Stormcloaks, Delphine, Dragons, Maven Black-Briar." At Lydia's confused look at the last person he listed, he managed to shrug. "What? She's a bitch." That got a snort from her. "I brought myself out of that state, either by willpower or just exhaustion, but that's why I didn't come back from the Throat of the World sooner. I stayed there and meditated with Paarthurnax, doing my best to seal away that side of me. I don't know how well it worked, but I haven't felt any anger that wasn't my own since. That's why I let Alva go during that business in Morthal, because I wanted to prove to myself that I could."

"I see" Lydia said, but Varion wasn't done.

"But the problem is that Paarthurnax said it takes years to work on repressing a dragon's internal will to dominate, and I only spent a week. It could come back. And this dragon nature doesn't feel like a split personality or something that just popped up out of nowhere. It's like these are my own thoughts, just brought to the surface. My own violent impulses, just made more prominent. What if this is my true self, what I became on that mountain?"

Lydia sat there, looking quite shocked. "My thane-"

"I'm just worried that against Alduin a second time, I might go back into that state and not come out again" he explained, cutting her off. "What if I become a bigger danger than he was? I may have control of it now, but what about in a month? A year, when I have even more power?" he asked, fist clenched with nerves.

"Varion" Lydia spoke again, and he looked at her. Using his actual name was generally the way he knew she was serious. "I know you. I've known you ever since you killed that first dragon and have been under this 'nature' or whatever you call it. And the Varion I know is a good man. A perfect man? God's no." Varion gave a single chuckle in response. "But you are a good man who has done more to protect this land than anyone I know. You aren't a monster. You're Thane of Whiterun, Harbinger of the Companions, The Last Dragonborn and a good friend. You won't ever become like Alduin" she insisted, moving closer to him and taking one of his hands in both of hers. He gazed at her, quite shocked at her declaration.

"Thank you, Lydia. I don't feel like-"

"Varion, I love you." Varion's jaw dropped. "Not like that, not anymore anyway, but I care about you. You're more than just a Thane to me, and to so many others. You have no reason to doubt yourself here, alright?" Varion managed to take in what she said and gave it a bit of thought. He gave her a genuine smile.

"Thank you. Truly." He hugged her and she returned it. They remained like that for about a minute before separating. "Thank you again Lydia. You're more than just my Housecarl, though I'm sure you already knew that."

"Considering you've been insisting that since the day we met, I'm inclined to believe it" she replied with a shrug. Varion chuckled, then layed back on his bed, emotionally exhausted from their talk.

"Still wish you'd use my name more and not my title."

"Not possible my thane."

"Ha. Fair enough."

"So, what happens now?" she asked. Varion stared at the ceiling and let out a sigh.

"We rest and train for 3 days. Then I invite a dragon into Whiterun."

* * *

**A/N:Hello again! Bet you weren't expecting one of these so soon! It's only been… Oh Talos it's been nearly a month. Still quicker than the last update!**

**So Varion and Lydia have their heart to heart about his nature, the first time Varions properly been able to describe it in words. I know I talk about this nature of his a lot, especially as it's not strictly canon, at least in the ways I've described it. However, I think it adds some depth to his character and trust me, it'll play a huge role later on.**

**As for Silver Lining, I think the next chapter will go up next Monday. I'm reworking my schedule so now I'll upload a chapter every Monday, but only for one of my two stories. Gives me more time to write and ensure the quality, you know? Thanks for understanding. The chapter is already half written, so you can rest assured that I've got this.**

**Favourite, Follow and Review and I'll see you all in the next chapter! It's gonna be a doozy...**


	36. Destiny Arrives 2 - A Dragon Falls

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion made it clear to Delphine where his allegiance is and gained the name of the dragon that he will challenge. After a heart to heart conversation with Lydia, he now prepares to face down his next opponent…

**Now, back to the story…**

* * *

"Is everyone ready?" Varion called out. The great deck of Dragonsreach was bustling with activity, everyone preparing for the task that they were about to carry out. The dragon-trapping mechanism had long since been prepared, Farengar informing him that the Jarl had been getting it ready since the day Varion came to him with the idea. That brought a smile to the Dragonborns face.

"My men stand ready, Varion" Balgruuf replied.

"We're prepared to fight a dragon" Aela added, with both Vilkas and Farkas giving agreeing nods from next to her.

"Has the city been alerted?"

"The citizens are in their homes. Though we're not sure what that'll do against a dragon" Irileth answered with a certain uncertainty in her tone.  
"Odahviing will be answering my summons, to fight me. He shouldn't be interested in anything else, the people hiding is just a precaution" Varion replied. "So, last time, are we ready for this?"

"It's not like this is the craziest thing you've ever done" Lydia replied with a shrug. Varion saw affirming nods around the hall, causing him to grin.

"Then if you're sure, let's do this!" he called out, raising a fist into the air. His allies did the same, giving an enthusiastic battle cry. _Who would've thought my life would lead to this? Much better than my original prediction of dying in some cave._

He turned and walked up to the edge of the balcony and drew in a deep breath. "OD AH VIING!" The noise echoed across the land, his voice had become truly powerful in the time since discovering it. He took several steps back and instructed everyone to wait. For a tense couple minutes, they waited, archers preparing arrows and sword wielders twirling their weapons out of nerves. Eventually, a dragon's roar sounded.

"I AM HERE DOVAHKIIN!" A large red dragon flew into view, charging towards Dragonsreach.

"There's a dragon. At the palace" Varion heard Balgruuf mutter, but it was too late for regrets.

"Everyone get back! Find cover! No-one fires unless I say so!" Varion shouted, keeping in mind the plan that he and Balgruuf had arranged. As Odahviing came closer, Varion tensed.

"I answer your challenge Dovahkiin! Let us battle!" he roared.

_Not today._ "JOOR ZAH FRUL!" As Varion shouted, he felt Dragonrend ripple through his being, igniting his temper, though it was nowhere near as bad as it was when he fought Alduin. The shout collided with Odahviing and he flapped his wings a few times in an attempt to retreat before landing on the balcony. "Come on then!" Varion taunted. Odahviing walked forward, preparing to shout. Varion intercepted his attack with his Unrelenting Force shout, stopping the incoming fire or frost breath. The dragon staggered, then continued forward.

"Fight me Dovahkiin!" he growled in anger. Varion simply motioned for him to come at him. He did so, trying to use Fire Breath again. "YOL-"

"FUS RO DAH!" Varions shout crashed into the dragon, preventing him from using his own once more. This happened twice as Varion slowly lured him back, his eyes glancing upwards to the mechanism. He glanced to the right and saw the guards ready to drop the trap. _Come on, just a little further…_

"DOVAHK-"

"FO KRAH DIIN!" Varion used a different shout, bathing the dragon in frost though it did little against his scales. His Fire Breath shout was far stronger, but he figured that setting Dragonsreach on fire would not be very productive for the task at hand. _Thanks for the shout Paarthurnax._

Odahviing roared again and began crawling forward. Varion took notice of the wall right behind him and saw the gleam in the dragon's eye as he prepared to use his teeth. Odahviing roared in triumph, but was then cut off as a heavy mechanism fell from the roof and was locked into place around his neck, trapping him.

"Fasten the chains! Keep him down!" the Jarl called and men ran around making sure it was done. Odahviing thrashed though he could not escape. He looked like he was preparing to shout again, but Varion walked closer and directed his attention to the sword in his hand.

"I wouldn't if you value your sight" he warned. The dragon sighed and remained still.

"Zu'u Bonaar. You possess great cunning, to put me in this humiliating position."

"Right. Glad to see we're being civil. It's nice to meet you Odahviing" Varion said. He heard cheers erupt from around the great balcony seeing as they had successfully captured a dragon and they weren't dead. All in all, a pretty monumental occasion, but Varion wasn't done with simply capturing him.

"I return the sentiment for you Dovahkiin."

"I hope you didn't decide to butcher the city before coming here?" The dragon began to reply in the dragon tongue, but Varion cut him off. "I don't understand that language as well as I'd like yet, so can we keep it in one we both understand?"

"Ah. Krosis. I should've realised you might not understand our tongue, though your Thu'um is as impressive as any dragons." Varion smirked a little at that beneath his helmet.

"You flatter me. So, do you know why you're here like this?"

"No doubt you wish for me to tell you the location of Alduin?"

"Civil and intuitive. I like you already." The dragon snorted in amusement. "One question before we start. Are you going to continue being polite and not burn the place down while we talk?"

"I will not harm your allies, or this building. As I cannot escape, doing so would be quite foolish, no?"

"You are correct." Varion turned to the crowd behind him. "You can relax. He's going to play nice for now" he called out, noticing a few guards with tense stances and tightly held weapons. "Getting back to your point, yes. I do seek Alduin. I'm going to find him again, and kill him properly this time. Tell me where he is."

"In time, Dovahkiin. First, you should know that one of the reasons I answered your call was to test the power of your Thu'um for myself.

"You were interested in my strength?"

"Of course. Many of us had begun to question Alduin's lordship, whether he truly was the most powerful among us, though none were ready to openly defy him. However, after the battle at the Throat of the World, we see now that there may be a new Master of the Thu'um. There have been many mutterings and questions among the Dovah now."

"Oh really? They fear my power?" Odahviing tilted his head, seemingly considering how to respond.

"Not fear, but acknowledge. Respect. The same respect that won Alduin his following many years ago." Varion's eyes widened.

"You mean that the dragons may serve me?" Odahviin snorted.

"No, not yet. Not while Alduin lives."

"All the more reason to destroy him then" Varion replied with a slight grin. _If I control the dragons, I can truly end the dragon conflict. They won't be attacking anyone else._

"Hmmm. But now for the answer to your question. Alduin has travelled to Sovngarde. There, he devours the souls of the dead to regain his strength."

"Sovngarde?" Lydia asked from beside Varion, sounding quite surprised.

"Indeed. His portal to Sovngarde is at Skuldafn, one of his ancient strongholds in the eastern mountains." Varion considered this, then chuckled a bit.

"Of course it's in some ancient temple. Nearly everything important in this land is" he muttered to himself, then he turned to the crowd. "Farengar! Do we know anything about Skuldafn?"

"I'll consult my books," the mage replied, turning and walking out of the room towards his lab. One or two men followed him at his gesture to assist him.

"So, now that I have answered your question, will you release me?" Odahviing asked. Varion turned back to him, regarding him cautiously.

"And what would make me want to do that?"  
"Hmm. Krosis. There is one detail about Skuldafn that I… neglected to mention. You may have the Thu'um of a Dovah, but without the wings of one, you will never reach Skuldafn."

"I've climbed mountains before."

"While being attacked by every dragon that Alduin still commands?" Varion didn't have an answer to that. Odahviing snorted. "I could fly you to Skuldafn, but not imprisoned like this."

"Well, seems like you had a way out this whole time."

"It is your choice Dovahkiin. Without my help, you cannot reach and defeat Alduin. Until Alduin is defeated, I cannot be freed."

"A simple choice really" Varion replied with a shrug. That earned a couple gasps and mutterings from the men and women behind him.

"Wait, you mean to say you believe him?" one of the guards called out.

"I do. Dragons are honourable creatures, I've never met one that lies. Besides, not like he could escape me anyway." He turned back to Odahviing. "You've felt the power of my Voice. Will you assist me in this matter?"

"I will. No dragon would dare challenge Alduin directly, but… there are many who are eager to see who is truly stronger between you and him. You should be provided the means to challenge him."

"Well, I thank you for this Odahviing."

"Know, Dovahkiin, that should you defeat Alduin, I may serve you as I served him."

"I don't have servants. I have allies and friends" Varion replied. He glanced sideways and saw the smiles from Lydia and Aela. "And if you speak the truth, I'd gladly add you to that list." Odahviing nodded his head, or at least as much as he could while restrained like this.

"So, will we depart for Skuldafn?"

"No, not yet. I'd like to do some research on this Skuldafn, as well as make some preparations. So, you'll just have to wait there for a bit longer, alright?" To his surprise, Odahviing didn't protest.

"Time has no meaning to a Dovah. I can wait for a while."

"Thank you. I'll be back soon." Varion turned and walked with his allies into the main hall of Dragonsreach.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Farengar had gotten out every book and scroll he had on the topic, but Varion wasn't a scholar. He sat down in a chair and settled for some meditation while the others all focused on finding any information on the ruin he'd be delving into. After about half an hour, they went over their findings, bringing him over to the table.

"We've found nearly nothing. A few mentions of it here and there, apparently a moot was once held there, but nothing about the actual location."  
"Damn it. This doesn't surprise me though, if it is so remote" Varion replied with a sigh.

"So you're trusting this dragon? You're sure?" Lydia asked.

"Yes. The dragons want to see me fight Alduin, to see who is truly stronger. I'm happy to oblige."

"If and when you defeat Alduin, what will happen with the rest of the dragons?" the Jarl asked.

"Odahviing said that they would no longer follow Alduin's orders, so that should bring an end to all the dragon attacks, or at least most. He also hinted that many of them may follow me if I prove my strength here." That comment got some gasps and mutterings. "This way, I can stop the attacks completely. They will leave the people in peace" he added, trying to alleviate any fears of him becoming a tyrannical dragon emperor.

"That sounds hard to believe," Aela replied.

"It is a little, but dragons believe in power and honour just like us, only on a much greater scale."

"Well, if that all works out, you'll have saved all of Skyrim twice with one act" the Jarl said.

"Here's hoping. So I need to get ready to go to Skuldafn. This will be the toughest challenge I've had so far, I need to be prepared."

"I'm coming wi-"

"No you're not." Lydia looked at him with confusion, seeing as he'd cut her off. "Lydia, you aren't coming with me here. Nor is anyone else. This is my battle."

"My thane, I am sworn to protect you. This battle, it's going to be the biggest you've ever had!"

"I beat Alduin once before, and he can actually be killed this time around. I can do this alone."

"Varion!" Lydia said, preparing to argue but he held up a hand to silence her.

"Come with me back to Breezehome. I'll explain on the way there" he replied. "My Jarl, I shouldn't be long." The pair of them left Dragonsreach and began walking down the stairs. They'd made it to Breezehome when Lydia resumed her argument. "My thane, I need to go with you! Don't be so reckless to think you can defeat all those dragons, and then Alduin!"

"Lydia, I respect you to no end, but you're not werewolf, dragonborn or dragon" Varion replied. "Against Alduin, I fear that you may be outmatched. I told you what I had to do to beat him, it nearly cost me my life and my sanity."

"That doesn't matter! I can still help you clear out Skuldafn to get there!"

"And then what? You'll wait at the ruin while I defeat him in Sovngarde? In that realm, he'll be hunting for me and if you're there, he'll hunt you too."

"I can handle it!"

"I'm not taking that chance!"

"Varion, I-"

"I'm not letting you die!" Varion half shouted. Lydia stopped, stunned. "I don't know if I can beat him, ok? He can die in that realm, he'll be fighting with everything he has, and he could even be stronger now thanks to all the dead he's consumed!" he explained, trying to calm himself down. "I have some faith that I'll win, and while your help would be appreciated, don't get me wrong, I don't want to put you at risk like this!"

"But I can hand-"

"We don't know that. We know nothing about Skuldafn, or the forces that await us within." Lydia looked down at the ground, sadness in her eyes.

"I don't want you to die either…" she said softly. Varion tilted her head up to meet her eyes.

"I have no intention to, alright? I don't know if I'll come back, but I will fight with everything I have to make sure I do. I'm not taking Aela, you, Faendal, or any of my friends because I don't want to lead you all to your deaths like this. If I," he cut off, taking a deep breath. "If I fail, it'll be up to all of you to protect Skyrim."

"Don't say that" Lydia replied sharply. "Don't put that thought in my head…"

"She's right you know," a voice said from behind Varion. He sighed and turned.

"Aela. I thought I caught your scent."

"Varion, are you sure you want to do this alone? You don't have to. I don't fear dying" Aela insisted.

"Neither do I!" Lydia added.

"I fear your deaths. What if I have to return to Skyrim victorious, but at the cost of your lives?"

"And what if you die and all Skyrim falls to a pissed off Alduin? What good is saving us then?" Aela replied harshly. Varion sighed.

"I don't want to get more people involved in my problems this time. It's my destiny to face Alduin. I'll do so without you, respect that choice. Please" he added. "This is my fight. I was born into this. You were all dragged into it by me. Now I'm finishing it alone." Aela and Lydia met his gaze for a while, then sighed simultaneously.

"I told you he'd be stubborn about it," Aela muttered.

"You did," Lydia groaned.

"You both knew I would want to go alone and yet you still argued with me over this?"

"Not like we had much other choice. Neither of us want to lose you. You changed my life" Lydia replied.

"You did more for the companions in the few months we've known you than nearly anyone else has," Aela added.

"Then I'll do more when I get back. I'll take you on more adventures, this isn't going to be the end of our story."

"I thought you said you didn't know if you were going to win" Lydia replied with slight bitterness.  
"I didn't. But I know I have to. I'm not just fighting for the world, I'm fighting for the people like you. The ones that really matter to me." That at least got a smile from the two women. The three of them embraced, Varion holding his two friends tightly and them doing the same to him.

"You'd better come back," Aela whispered.

"I will. I'll make sure of it" he replied, and he meant that wholeheartedly.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion walked back into the great balcony of Dragonsreach, feeling more confident now than he had been upon leaving. He had a good supply of potions, a couple bits of food to eat, both of his weapons and a clear motivation to win. _I made a promise to them. I will come back. I will defeat Alduin._ He recalled what Aela had said to him before he left, what Lydia had said. He thought of Farkas, Vilkas, Ria, Faendal, all his other friends that he'd made on his journey so far and how he wouldn't let them down. _Of course, when I come back, WHEN, there's going to be a lot more to do. Vampire attacks, the civil war, there's not going to be a restful time for a while._ The Jarl was waiting for him next to Odahviing.

"So Varion, you're ready?"

"I am."

"You're sure you wish to go alone?"

"Let's not start another debate about that. I'm sure. I can use my full power this way" he explained, which was another actual reason he'd wanted to go alone.

"Well, upon your signal, the guards will release the dragon."

"Then I ride him to Skuldafn, find the portal to Sovngarde, and end Alduin for good."

"I wish you good luck Varion" Balgruuf stated, shaking hands with him as he did. "Come back to us Dragonborn, we'll need you once this is all over.

"I will return. I made a promise and I'm not gonna break it" he replied. The Jarl nodded, then released his hand. Varion walked over to Odahviing. "Guards! Release the dragon!" Despite a few mutterings that Varion heard with his enhanced hearing, the guards did as he ordered and Odahviing was soon freed. He made a short speech in Dovahzul, but Varion couldn't understand what he'd said.

"I think you'd better leave soon. The guards will get jumpy with a loose dragon around" Aela said.

"And here I thought you didn't want me to go?" That earned him a punch on the shoulder.

"You know what I mean," she muttered. He looked at her and smiled.

"I do. Look after the Companions until I get back."

"I'll keep them in line. Don't take too long though" she replied, looking up at him.

"I won't." She gazed at him for a while longer.

"Good luck" she said simply before leaning up and kissing his cheek. While it did indeed surprise him, he just smiled a little more and nodded. He turned to Lydia.

"I'll be back before you know it" he said reassuringly and she nodded, putting on a brave face.

"I know. You'll win this" she replied. They quickly hugged before Varion walked over to Odahviing.

"Let's do this" he said to his new friend.

"Then you are ready to see the world as only a Dovah can?"

"I look forward to it."

"I warn you Dovahkiin, once you've flown the skies of Keizaal, your envy of the Dov will only increase." Varion smirked in response, donning his ebony helmet. Once again he was fully geared up in his armour the colour of a midnight sky. He couldn't help thinking back to someone he'd met long ago, and he added them to the list of people he was now fighting for.

"Then show me, Odahviing" he replied. He clambered onto his neck and found somewhere to hold on. He felt Odahviing tense, then suddenly he was flying upwards at great speed. Varion, slightly overcome by the speed, managed to glance around. Dragonsreach was soon a speck in the distance and the world around him was so small and far away. He glanced around at the landscape as they flew and smiled. _He's right. I'll remember this forever._

* * *

**Sorry this chapter is a day late, but was a little caught up with other projects. For example, my Youtube channel, 'MattTGM', which you guys should check out :)**

**So, Varion's now on his way to fight Alduin! Next chapter we'll see him make his way through Skuldafn, and finally make his way to Sovngarde! Stay tuned!**

**Read, favourite and review and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	37. Destiny Arrives 3 - To Sovngarde

**Previously on The Legend of Varion…**

Varion successfully captured a dragon and learned the location of Alduin, Sovngarde itself. Being left with little other choice, he now rides said dragon to reach Skuldafn and the portal that will take him to his final battle…

**And now, back to the story…**

* * *

"So, how was that Dovahkiin?" Odahviing asked as Varion dropped off of him and onto solid ground again. The Dragonborn grinned.

"Quite amazing Odahviing. I'm rather jealous I can't see that whenever I want like you can." The dragon snorted proudly.

"Defeat Alduin, and you may see it whenever you wish."

"Thank you. All the more reason to win."

"Indeed. But this is as far as I can take you. Farewell Dovahkiin" Odahviing said with a bow of his head, quickly taking off and heading back the way they came. Just like that, Varion was alone. Alone in a ruin no doubt infested with draugr and dragons, with no way to retreat if need be.

_Starting to think a friend or two wouldn't have been too bad._ He pushed the regret out of his mind and then began his walk through the ruin. Before too long, he noticed a dragon resting on an archway at the other end of a bridge. He narrowed his eyes. It didn't seem intent on attacking right that second, but he wasn't going to trust it. He slowly crossed the bridge, noticing it watching him intently. He drew Dragonsbane and raised it in warning. "I've killed lots of your kind already, and I'll be happy to add more to my tally" he called out, giving it a fair chance to flee. If anything, it snorted.

Varion sighed and ran forward, hoping to make it to the larger, more open area on the other side of the bridge. He saw the dragon draw breath.

"YOL…"

"WULD NAH KEST!" With Whirlwind Sprint, Varion covered the remaining distance in an instant.

"TOOR SHUL!" The dragon's flames scorched the bridge behind him, but left Varion unharmed. He looked at the dragon and shouted again.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" Unlike the dragons flames, these ones made contact with their target and the beast roared in pain. The dragon began to take off but Varion quickly used Dragonrend to force it to the ground. He coughed a couple times as he felt his throat burn from shouting so much in a short time, but thankfully the pain faded quickly. He'd adapted to shouting quite quickly in the time since discovering he was Dragonborn and he could use several full power shouts in quick succession without too much effort. Dragonrend was just a bit of a special case.

As the dragon landed, Varion gripped Dragonsbane and began slicing downwards at the beast's neck in an attempt to sever it, the enchantment dealing great damage to the creature. Thanks to the angle and his quick attacks, the dragon was relatively powerless to counterattack. Varion once again used Dragonrend once the beast attempted to take flight and he stabbed Dragonsbane right into the dragon's neck.

Tearing it out, Varion saw a hole there and rammed his fist into the opening. Briefly flashing back to his fight with Alduin and grinning darkly, he conjured up a shock spell and released it. The sizzling smell of blood filled his nostrils and he chuckled a little.

"DOVAHKIIN!" The dragon roared.

"Glad to see you know who killed you" he replied snarkily. The dragon went limp and he ripped his hand out of its neck, shaking it to try clear some of the blood. "I really need to work on the power of that spell. I guess it's all the more reason to return to the College of Winterhold after this is over" he thought aloud, remembering how he was technically a student there even if he hadn't done anything there yet. It would be nice to attain more power. Speaking of power, the feeling of the dragon's soul flowing into him invigorated him, replenishing the moderate amount of energy he'd spent killing the dragon and he glared up at the rest of the ruin, feeling more ready than ever to finish the battle he'd started by getting on that dragon.

**X-X-X-X-X**

"I've had enough of these Talos damned Draugr in these Talos damned ruins!" Varion growled in frustration as he struggled in a sword lock against what appeared to be a Deathlord. Obviously, the draugr guarding Alduin's portal to Sovngarde weren't going to be the weak kind he'd butchered back in Bleak Falls Barrow, these ones were stronger, faster and with better equipment, but a zombie with better gear was still just a zombie. He could weave around their predictable swings and weak shouts with not much effort thanks to his experience and strong living body, but they took quite a few hits to put down and there were a lot of them. Like, a LOT of them. He raised his leg and delivered a harsh kick to the Deathlords knee. The creature buckled and he used this as a chance to swing the blade of Whiterun around to decapitate his foe.

Varion sighed, then quickly tilted his head to the side to avoid a stab from yet another draugr. He turned and delivered a push kick to it's stomach, causing the new zombie to fall backwards into two of its brethren, the only two remaining in this particular room.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" Fire erupted from his mouth and doused his last three enemies. They writhed pathetically before going still, the light fading from their dead eyes. Shaking the blood off his greatsword, he placed it on his back once again and kicked open a closed door on the opposite side of the room.

"Guess I've still got a long way to go" he growled, and while he desperately hoped he wasn't right, deep down he knew he was. He walked through many corridors, many rooms, encountered many dead ends caused by collapsed architecture. His frustration grew bigger, he just wanted to fight Alduin, not traverse even more ruins. Sure, it was more difficult, but it was more of what he'd already done so much in Skyrim.

At the end of one corpse-filled room, he found a word wall. Upon reading the single glowing word, he felt an odd rush through his body. He wasn't sure exactly why it had happened, or what was special about this word, but he knew it was very, very powerful and very, very dangerous. He focused on the word, _Strun_, and felt energy flow through him as a dragon soul was sacrificed to grant him understanding. As he finished learning the word, he gasped in minor shock. The word was "Storm", and the sheer power and energy that he felt from understanding that word was exhilarating. _Oh yeah. Definitely trying that out later._

After grabbing the word, he made his way through a couple more rooms, thankfully with less draugr in them than the ones before. "Ha, a shame I didn't bring a companion or two" he mused as he shoved a dead(er) draugr off his greatsword. "I would've made a fortune selling all this Ebony gear." He then approached another door, but this one was in pretty bad condition. He thought he could hear wind blowing outside of it and so he kicked it open. He could've just used his hand like a normal sane person, but he had to vent his frustration somehow.

He scanned the courtyard that was there before him, only to be immediately surprised by a large pillar of golden light shooting into the sky. _That must be where the portal. Guess I found it. Only took me OVER 30 MINUTES!_

Pushing his annoyance aside, he took note of the area, scanning for foes that could hinder his progress. Surprisingly, there was practically nothing. Two dragons sat on the stone walls surrounding the portal and in front of the pillar of light was some menacing floating figure. Upon walking a little closer, Varion examined it more carefully and saw it resembled Krosis, the dragon priest he'd fought many months ago with his friends. He growled at the memory, that monster had come close to killing him and he would have lost if his friends hadn't interfered.

"So, I found another one of these priests" he called out, causing the being in question to look at him. He then chuckled a little. "I almost managed to kill the last one of you I found by myself, and I'm way stronger now. Let's see if you can even make me break a sweat" he boasted. To his credit, the creature seemed to be annoyed by his taunts and it screeched. It grabbed the staff and the portal appeared to close, the bright light fading. _I guess I'll need that._ The priest thrust the staff forward and it fired. It was easy to sidestep, but Varion didn't feel like jumping from side to side all the way over the 25 metre dash.

He drew in breath. "WULD NAH!" He didn't need the shouts full power, he just needed to get close. It worked perfectly, he appeared in front of the priest in a near instant. Before the undead could comprehend what was going on, Varion drew back his fist and smashed it into its face. Irritatingly, this didn't seem to do much. He ducked under it's sloppy counterpunch and angled himself so his body was facing towards it's arm that held the staff. He quickly drew his katana and swung it down with all his strength. The severance was clean and the priests arm and staff dropped to the floor. He smirked a little, satisfied.

Unfortunately, being undead seemed to dull it's ability to feel pain seeing as instead of being stunned, it punched him quite hard in the face. He got knocked off his feet, landing on his back and the creature wrapped it's remaining hand around his throat, pushing down. _This is annoyingly familiar…_

Varion grabbed it's arm and tried to force it off of his throat. However, the priest was strong and he wasn't in a good position for leverage. He also didn't have a dagger on him, having lost his old one some time ago without finding a replacement. The lack of breath also made shouting impossible, or at least very difficult and probably not worth trying. He thought for a few seconds longer, then mentally sighed, resolving to use one of his backup options.

_Oh boy. Well, didn't get this for nothing._ Varion concentrated for a moment and then felt rage burn through him. It wasn't his usual anger, it wasn't his dragon nature (that was still being surprisingly dormant), but a primal rage that he hadn't unleashed in a long time. His arm began to burn slightly and his armour faded as if by magic (it was magic, courtesy of Aela's and Farkas' teachings). The bare skin was soon covered by hair within a couple seconds. He felt his body transform, growing larger, and much stronger. He stood up, easily overwhelming the priest and he held the arm up that had been choking him above his head, forcing his enemy to dangle in front of him. The priest's mask couldn't do expressions, but he liked to believe that it was afraid of the werewolf that was now towering over it.

Varion snorted with amusement. He grabbed it's mask with his free hand and gave a sharp pull. Thanks to his werewolf strength, it ripped off and the priest shrieked in what he hoped was agony.

"NAHKRIIN!"

_Not very poetic for it's dying words. _He released it's arm and it flopped to the ground, quickly disintegrating into what looked like faintly magical ash just like Krosis had done. Varion couldn't help his small growl of pleasure. The wolf transformation was quite an invigorating feeling, one that enhanced his rage and bloodlust. He'd held it back for a long time thanks to his dragon nature concerns, but he felt safe enough to release it here. _Plus, I'm all alone here._

He glanced at the mask in his hand and noticed the magical glow. He set it down as gently as he could and began waiting. He didn't really feel like heading into Sovngarde as a werewolf, and werewolf claws weren't good for gripping an easily breakable staff. After about a minute, he felt his body ripple and transform. He grew smaller and his armour and weapons reappeared as he once again took on a human form and the bloodlust cleared from his mind. _Really need to learn how to turn back quicker._

He grabbed the staff from the ripped off arm and also placed the mask in his satchel. "Heh. I could start a collection" he said to himself, thinking of Krosis back home. He walked with the staff over to the seal that he'd seen it sticking out of earlier and stuck it back in. Almost immediately, the large stone circle in front of him began to glow. The stones rotated and then seemed to sink into the ground. Varion shielded his eyes as the glow intensified, then opened them when it was calmer again and his jaw dropped. The portal he'd seen on approach was open again and it was glowing beautifully. He could feel the raw magical energy radiating from it. It was quite hard to behold.

"Damn it. This is really happening. I'm really going to Sovngarde." He breathed deeply and tried to calm his nerves. Thoughts flashed through his mind of the night his parents were killed, of a hideous blue glow he'd seen that night. He shook his head clearing the unwelcome thoughts.

_I can't afford to be distracted. I'm about to fight Alduin, again. Whoever is in Sovngarde, they aren't my concern. Though… if they made it there, it would be nice to see them again._

With another deep breath, he clenched his fist. He opened his eyes, and with a grim smile he walked into the portal. He felt a strange sensation overcome his whole body as he did and a bright light forced him to shut his eyes. As he opened them again, his jaw dropped.

"Oh my Gods…"

* * *

**And boom! That's how we end the chapter. With a cliffhanger, even though you all clearly know what's coming. Yes, this chapter is significantly shorter than every other chapter in the story, but to make up for it, next chapter will be another one of those special chapters, like "Dragon's Bane", and it could be my longest chapter yet so don't be surprised if I don't update the story for a while after this one. Then again, you guys should probably be used to that by now… Sorry, but I'll do my best!**

**Read, review, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	38. Dragonslayer

Sovngarde was truly beautiful, a really remarkable place. The sky was purple with shining lights like stars littered throughout, but it also had what looked like the Northern Lights, in all colours. Varion was not usually one to sit around and admire nature, but he had to spend several seconds just taking it in. _Yeah, I think I could go here when I die._

His view was soured however by looking down from the sky across the landscape. What he suspected would've been an equally beautiful view was ruined by a thick, ominous fog. _This must be your work, Alduin._ As if on cue, he spotted his nemesis briefly emerge from the fog, flying around and roaring. Varion growled as Alduin quickly descended back into the mist.

"No more. You're not going to use any more deceased souls for your power" he quietly growled and walked down the staircase that was in front of him. His boots met the dirt of Sovngarde and it was surprising just how much being here felt like being back in his homeland. _I guess this really is a form of eternal life, it's almost like just another part of Skyrim._

He followed along a path lined by ominous looking statues and unlit braziers. He imagined that the place would look a lot less ominous if he could clearly see more than 3 metres in front of him. After a little while of walking, he was stopped by, of all things, a stormcloak soldier. Varion tilted his head. The man was running, clearly afraid.

"Turn back! Don't go into the mist!" he shouted. Varion stepped to block his path.

"Why? What's going on?"

"I don't know! But no-one has been able to get through! Alduin has been devouring any who pass through here, hunting us!"

"I know. I saw him" Varion replied. "I'm here to stop him."

"Truly?" the soldier asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Do you know where the hall of Valor is? That's where I'm headed."

"I do not. I have been wandering blindly." Varion sighed, though he should've expected that answer with the mist. Even with the wolf blood, he was having no better luck seeing than this soldier was. The mist was unnatural, evil, no doubt a creation of Alduin.

"I managed to see a bit of it when I entered here. I'll find the way, somehow" Varion replied, less sure than he let on.

"May I accompany you? You appear strong and capable." Varion shrugged. He'd wanted to do this alone, but a random soldier wasn't going to be anything on his conscience.

"Very well. Keep your weapon drawn. Alduin is here somewhere" he warned. Together, the pair walked through the mist cautiously, Varion making sure to keep aware of his surroundings. Evidently, the slow pace was a little too much for his more frightened companion.

"We must hurry! Alduin will get us!" he complained, the nervousness audible in his voice.

"There's no hurry. If we rush, we'll just be more noticeable. An easier target" Varion replied, annoyed at this man's foolishness. Despite his reasoning, the soldier kept wanting to go faster, ending up some distance ahead of Varion.

"Slow down you idiot! If you run off, I won't save you!" he called out in annoyance. This did little to calm the soldier who sped up if anything. Inevitably, Varion saw a brief flash of black and the sound of wings. The scream of the soldier died quickly, as did he, or so Varion hoped as so he didn't suffer. A sword landed by Varion, embedding itself in the ground.

"Fool. I warned him" Varion muttered as he walked past, not sparing it another glance. The mist remained thick, it seemed like he was in the darkest part of it now (at least he hoped it didn't get darker). He was vaguely aware of passing by various soldiers, Stormcloaks and Imperials no doubt slain in the stupid war. _Alduin will devour each and every person here to gain power. I won't let that happen._

Eventually, Varion grew tired of wandering blindly. He glanced around at the mist and noticed how it resembled the magic barrier he'd dispelled to get to Paarthurnax, at least a little. "Hmmm… LOK VAH KOOR!" To his satisfaction, the shout worked, or at least a little. He could see more clearly now, though he suspected the mist would return soon. Not wishing to waste his luck, he walked faster, shouting when necessary to clear the mist away. After a couple minutes, he noticed a man standing on the path. He wasn't dressed in the usual military attire he'd seen, in fact, his armour was much more familiar. Varion stopped, stunned.

"Kodlak?" At his words, the man turned around and smiled, revealing a face that Varion had missed for a long time.

"Hello Harbinger. It has been far too long."

"Harbinger?" Kodlak chuckled a bit, offering Varion his hand.  
"Yes, Harbinger. That is your title now, remember?"  
"Yeah, I know I know" Varion replied, slightly embarrassed. "It's just that I never imagined you calling me that."

"Times change Varion. And who better to bear the title than the one responsible for freeing my soul?" Varion took a second to process that, then smiled.

"Oh yeah! You're here, in Sovngarde! The cleansing worked then?"

"Aye it did" Kodlak nodded. "When I awoke from death, I saw Shor's hall. However, this damned mist… it obstructs my way."

"I can clear it, at least for a time," Varion replied. "You should come with me. I'll lead you there." The old man smiled.  
"Thank you Harbinger. I have longed to join my fellow warriors in that hall, but I feared I might not get the chance with this mist." Varion nodded in reply.

"I promise, we'll get there. And please, just call me Varion. Everyone else calling me Harbinger I can deal with, but you saying it? It's just weird."

With a laugh, Kodlak nodded and the two warriors set off down the path, Varion continuing to shout to clear the way. As they walked, Varion caught him up on tales of the Companions' exploits, including the job they'd done involving Morthal.

"Ah, good work lad. The scum of night do little else but prey upon the weak. A fine day for the companions" he replied after hearing the full story.

"Thank you. It was definitely an exciting job, I'll say that much."

"I'm glad to hear the Companions are doing well under your guidance."

"They're a strong group, they'd do well whether I was there or not. In fact, most times I'm not there" Varion admitted.

"The life of the Dragonborn is not a stable one though" Kodlak reasoned. Varion nodded in reply, he supposed the old man had a point. It seemed every day he had to travel to some new corner of Skyrim.

"They miss you, you know," Varion said in a softer tone. "I do too."

"Not a day goes by where I don't think of them lad" Kodlak replied in a wistful tone. "My regret is that not all of them will join us in the hall, like Athis. But they will continue to do me proud. That is a legacy I can be happy with. One you continue to uphold" he finished, nodding respectfully to Varion. The Dragonborn returned the nod and they continued, though he was truly touched by the older man's words. As they continued, they noticed a few warriors beginning to follow them, both Stormcloaks and Imperials.

"It seems you're more of a leader than you thought" Kodlak joked, causing Varion to sigh exasperatedly.

"Never imagined myself leading military. Looking after the Companions is enough. If they want to follow me to safety, I have no reason to refuse them." Kodlak nodded.

"Good, good. I see the fires in your heart have been dulled a little since when I first met you." Varion snorted a little.  
"I guess I can find it in my heart to care a little more nowadays."

"Varion, do you know why I named you my successor?" Kodlak asked. Varion, though he didn't stop walking, slowed and turned his head to look at Kodlak.

"Honestly? No. I'm not a wise counsellor. I'm a young man with too much anger" Varion admitted, bowing his head a little. "I've been wondering that for months. I'm good in a fight, one of the best, but a leader? I don't know…"

"Varion, I named you Harbinger not because of what you were" Kodlak started, causing the Dragonborn to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "It was because of what you could become. I can tell from looking at you. You have learned much since my death, done much. And I have no doubt you will do more. You will grow into a great leader, and as Harbinger you will have a place to keep growing." Varion took that all in, a bit overwhelmed.

"I… wow. Thank you Kodlak."

"Any time Harbinger. But for now, someone else stands in our path." Varion glanced forward and saw some nobleman standing in the path, looking as confused and lost as Kodlak had.

"Hey!" Varion called out. "Who are you?" The man turned to face him and as he did, Varion noticed a good portion of the soldiers get on one knee, the Imperial ones.

"I am Torygg, former High King of Skyrim" the man replied. "Who might you be?"  
"I am Varion. The Last Dragonborn. I'm here to kill Alduin and get rid of this mist" he replied honestly. "I suppose I should've expected to see you here, seeing as you died and all." That got an amused snort out of the former king.  
"Yes, I did indeed die." His amused look then turned wistful. "My sole regret is poor Elisif. She was left alone, weeping at my loss. If only she could have been spared that pain."

"You can lose a few of those worries" Varion replied. "Elisif is Jarl of Solitude, and she rules well." Truth be told, Varion had seen very little of her, but from waht he'd seen at the peace conference, she was stronger than she looked.

"I am glad then."

"I have a question for you, if you don't mind?" At his nod, Varion continued. "How did you die? It's a bit of a debate point in Skyrim." Torygg sighed.

"When Ulfric came into my palace and challenged me, I faced him bravely. I didn't think I could win, he was a far more powerful warrior and he had that weapon, the Voice, which I did not. But I faced him anyway, as is the tradition of Nords."

_That's nice, but it doesn't answer my question._

"Ulfric let loose that terrible power from his words and knocked me down, but it was his sword that finished me. My honour in death is unstained. Can he say the same?"

"Of course he can!" a (presumably Stormcloak) soldier shouted from Varions small following. "He fights for a free Skyrim! Freedom from the Elves!"

"He's a murdering coward! He'll only destroy Skyrim!" an Imperial woman shouted and soon the crowd descended into bickering. Varion breathed deeply, and turned around.

"SHUT UP!" At his roar, everyone went quiet and faced him. "None of that matters now! In case you didn't notice, you're all dead!"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" one man dared to cry out. Varion sighed, then continued speaking.

"Whatever battle you had in life, it's over! Here, in this place, you have no banner to follow! No war to fight! You've been brought here because of your honour and bravery! All of you!" He noticed the soldiers looking at each other, some looking quite ashamed of their outbursts. "In Sovngarde, you are all Nords! That's it and that's all! So try to get along, before the evil apocalypse dragon comes to eat you!" he finished.

"Were- Were you kidding about that last one?" another woman asked tentatively. Varion solemnly shook his head.

"Alduin is here. If you didn't notice already" he added with a casual gesture to the mist. "I will stop him, save your souls and the lives of those you hold dear back on Nirn. In return, do you guys think you can unite again? Let go of these old hatreds?" He looked around and noticed the general majority of the soldiers nodding agreeably. Next to him, Kodlak smirked.

"What did I say?" Instead of getting irked by the remark, Varion just accepted it with a smile.

"Thanks old man. Couldn't have done it without you."

**X-X-X-X-X**

After a few more minutes (and Varions party had expanded yet again. Seriously there must've been at least 50 people following him now), they made it to what looked like a break in the mist. Ahead of them was a bridge made out of what looked like bone, and on the other side was an extremely large hall that Varion could only assume was their destination.

"Shor's Hall. It's incredible" he heard Kodlak exclaim softly from beside him. Varion could only nod in agreement. However, there was a man standing in front of the bridge. Well, man may have been an understatement. With how big he was, he could've been a small giant. As Varion walked closer, he could see that this stranger was far taller and far more muscular than even he was. He had arms like tree trunks, a chiselled but scarred body and Varion could see a handle sticking out from behind his shoulder.

_Part of me doesn't even want to find out what weapon that's attached to._ "Who are you?" Varion asked, making to walk closer. However, Kodlak grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

"Get on your knee, Varion" he said quietly. Varion glanced back, noticing all the men following him doing as Kodlak was telling him.

"Why? Who is he?" Kodlak gave him a funny look at that question.

"That is Tsun. A Nordic God. A very important person." Varion's eyes widened.

"A God? Him?" _That would explain the physique._ As unhappy as he may have been about it, Varion knelt with the others, figuring that this would not be a particularly wise time to be arrogant.

"Rise, brave warriors" Tsun spoke loudly so the crowd could hear him. "What brings you, wayfarers grim, to wander in Sovngarde, Shor's gift to honoured dead?" Varion stood up and looked him in the eye. Annoyingly, he had to tilt his head up to do so.

"Tsun, I'm here to destroy Alduin," he answered.

"Hmm. I see. A fateful errand. None have challenged the World-Eater since he set his soul snare here. Many wish to destroy him, but Shor forbade us from action."

"Shor won't let you fight? But Alduin is destroying so many souls here, so many honourable warriors" Varion replied, confusion in his tone. Tsun shrugged.

"We do not question the wisdom of Shor. Perhaps he foresaw your doom, and hence held us back." Varion smirked a little.

"I have very little intention of meeting my end here, as wonderful a place as it is. I want to access the Hall of Valour. How may I earn entry?" Tsun looked Varion up and down.

"Few speak to a God with such bravado. By what right do you request entry? As you are among the living, not dead like your companions."

"You can tell that?"

"I am a God, gatekeeper of Shor's hall. Of course I can."

"Oh. Well then…" _What does he mean by right? By what right do I request entry? What gives me that privilege?_ "By right of destiny. I am the Last Dragonborn, fated to slay Alduin." Many months ago, he would've never accepted his role and title like that. Weeks ago, he would've done so with hesitation. Here, now? He felt nothing but pride in who he was, and everything that came with it.

"Ah! It has been too long since I have faced a doom driven hero of the dragon blood!" Tsun replied, actually seeming pleased.

"I also lead the Companions as Harbinger, if that counts for anything" Varion replied with a shrug.

"An honourable role. I am glad to see your predecessor, Kodlak Whitemane, has arrived here at long last." Tsun nodded at Kodlak who gave a slight bow in response.

"Varion shall lead the Companions to glory in my place" he replied. Varion smiled slightly at the old man's faith in him.

"Alas, I cannot allow you to enter without first placing you through a trial." Varion groaned.

"More damn tests… Very well. What must I do?"

"Fight me." Varion blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"I wish to test your strength against my own. Prove you are worthy to enter the hall of great warriors!" Tsun challenged. Varion's eyes widened yet again.

_First I travel to the afterlife, then I meet a God, and now I'm being challenged by said God to a fight?_ Deep down, Varion knew he should've been terrified. However, another part of him felt excitement at this challenge. "I'd be glad to fight you. I've longed for a good challenge since my fight with Alduin" he replied bravely. Tsun smiled.

"That's the spirit. Come then, let us clash steel!" Varion motioned for his followers to stand back.

"Give us some space. This could get intense" Varion warned before drawing the Blade of Whiterun from his back and placing his helmet on his head. Tsun also drew his weapon, revealing it to be a massive battleaxe. _Yeah. Could've gone without having to face that weapon in my lifetime._

Varion entered into his standard combat stance, unsure of how to approach this fight. Usually battleaxe wielders were slow. They were powerful but very predictable except for the select few who were both strong enough and skilled enough. Given that Tsun was a God, no doubt he would fall into that category and then some.

Varion attacked first, swinging his sword down with great force in a straight slash. However, Tsun easily blocked it with the shaft of his axe, barely buckling under an attack that few could withstand. Varion then moved his arms and swung again, this time horizontally from left to right. Annoyingly, Tsun just blocked in the same way with about the same amount of effort. Before Varion could attack again, Tsun thrust the butt of his weapon into his face, causing him to stagger slightly. He then dodged back before Tsun could do more damage.

"Not good enough. Alduin will not fall to an attack like that" Tsun warned. Varion frowned under his helmet. He attacked in the same way, another downwards swing and Tsun blocked it. However, he then took one hand off his greatsword and delivered a punch straight to Tsun's stomach. It barely made him flinch, but he still reacted to it. Varion then quickly stepped to the side of Tsun, avoiding the shoulder charge that his opponent did in response. He then swung at Tsun's back in a horizontal swing, putting a lot of his strength into it. However, Tsun managed to spin around with unnatural speed and block the attack with his axe handle yet again.

_This isn't good._ Varion then tried to disengage and jump backwards, but Tsun grabbed him by the front of his armour and threw him backwards, sending him sliding along the ground.

"Come Dragonborn. Attack with all your strength. Show me the skill that led you this far!" Tsun called out, almost encouraging Varion.

"My pleasure" Varion replied. He drew breath to shout, but Tsun shook his head.

"Refrain from using your voice. I want to see your warrior spirit, not your dragon's soul." Varion groaned.

"Fine." He ran forward towards Tsun and sidestepped the downwards swing that his opponent responded with. After this, he quickly shoulder charged Tsun from the side, throwing his weight into it. The God took a few steps as a result of the impact and Varion used this as a chance to attack.

He swung from right to left and Tsun brought his axe to block it as before. He then moved and swung downwards, anticipating the block. However, he simply repeated the same move again, and again, and again. Tsun didn't move his guard, but Varion could see him buckling a little more each time. However, after the sixth downwards swing, Varion thrust his foot out into Tsun's stomach, actually (seemingly) catching the God off guard. He then turned his blade to the flat edge and did another swing to the side, managing to collide with Tsun's hip before he quickly stepped backwards.

Tsun looked down at his hip, then at Varion and smiled. "That was good Dragonborn. You are powerful indeed." Varion smiled at the praise.

"Thank you. From a God that's high praise."

"Indeed. But now, allow me to go on the offensive. I wish to truly test you." Varions eyes widened and his heart sank.

_All this time, I've just been attacking and he's been countering. How am I meant to block a swing coming from THAT!?_ As if Tsun could read his thoughts, he swung his axe from the side. It was fast, far faster than Varion had been expecting or hoping for. He quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow. Tsun continued with a barrage of various swings, Varion narrowly avoiding each one.

_I can't let him hit me. He'll shatter my arms with those attacks!_ He dodged to the left a short front stab from Tsun and jabbed him in the face with his left hand. It barely made the God react. Tsun then brought his axe handle around and smacked Varion in the stomach with the end of it. He doubled over, stunned by the force such a normally minor blow could do. The axe handle was then brought up to his chin, knocking his head up and himself further off balance.

Somehow, whether by dumb luck, instinctual skill or just because he didn't want to lose that badly, Varion returned Tsun's shoulder charge with one of his own. Either Tsun wasn't trying that hard or Varion was stronger than he imagined because their forces proved equal. Varion then dropped his sword, grabbed Tsun with both hands and grappled him, shoving him towards the whalebone bridge. He twisted, delivering a powerful kick to Tsun's side. Quickly retrieving his weapon, he began attacking quickly, pressing his advantage.

"Good! You are certainly powerful!" Tsun called out, but Varion paid little attention. His mind went into overdrive. Attack. Attack. Step back. Kick out. Attack. Duck. Attack. He had to keep attacking, he couldn't give Tsun room to breathe. He landed a few minor blows to Tsun's legs and right hip, things were going well. Glancing behind him, he almost had Tsun backed up to the bridge.

However, Tsun then delivered a punch directly to his face (helmet) stunning Varion enough for him to be knocked off his feet by the God's shoulder charge. He rolled when he landed allowing him to be back on his feet in seconds with his sword still tightly gripped in his hand.

"Come Dragonborn. Let us end this battle!" Tsun called out.  
"I couldn't agree more!" Varion growled in response. He took a few steps back, then ran towards Tsun who stood there confidently. As he entered melee reach, Varion stopped, and swung his blade as hard as he could and Tsun did the same.

The Dragonborn tensed, preparing for a hard impact of Dwarven metal on godly steel, but he only felt a brief collision and he heard a terrible noise. He glanced at his greatsword, only to notice that Tsun had completely cut it in half. _No…_

His eyes widened, but he tightened his grip and thought quickly. Using his (now much lighter) weapon, he quickly switched his grip to only holding the handle with his left hand, ramming it into Tsun's side before he had the chance to retract his swing. The God grunted in pain before Varion drew back his fist.

Brimming with anger over the loss of his weapon, desperation to not die against this foe (ironic considering he was already in Sovngarde, though Hircine's realm would probably claim him in the end) and determination to prove himself worthy and defeat Alduin, Varion's fist flew forward. It collided cleanly with Tsun's face, causing the God to actually stagger backwards.

Tsun took a few seconds to steady himself, looked down at the broken sword embedded in his side, then looked up at Varion. The God's expression was unreadable and Varion matched it with a neutral face. However, he then smiled.

"Well done Dragonborn. That was most impressive." He pulled the sword out of his side and dropped it to the ground, his wound healing quickly as if by magic.

"That was some fight," Varion admitted. "I couldn't have won that in the end, you would have defeated me." Admitting that was a bitter feeling, but he had to be honest.

"True, but against a God, that wound was no small feat. You should be proud" Tsun replied. He then glanced at his feet. "I am sorry about your weapon."

"It's fine" Varion replied with a small shrug. "It was a good sword, but it's not what I need to defeat Alduin. This is." As he said it, Varion took Dragonsbane out of it's sheath slightly, enough to show Tsun who nodded.

"A fine weapon. You may pass into the hall Dragonborn, as may your companions." Varion took off his helmet, smiled, and bowed slightly.

"You honour me Tsun."

"When it is your time to join us in this hall, let us fight again Dragonborn. The honour will be mine."

Varion nodded in response, then began walking over the bridge. He approached the giant stone doors and placed one hand on them, sighing as he did so.  
"What is wrong lad?" Kodlak asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Just… hoping to see someone inside."

"Ah, your parents. Fear not lad, if they were Nords, you should see them in here."

"They were, and I hope I do," Varion replied. "Let's just see." With that, he shoved open the door and entered, immediately being stunned by the inside.

**X-X-X-X-X**

The hall was truly gargantuan, there must've been thousands of warriors in here. There were great tables stretching as far as the eye could see with space in between them for what Varion guessed was fighting. There were great fires with giant spits for roasting equally giant animals and Varions mouth watered a bit at the sight.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time, drinking, brawling, eating and singing, some of them all at once, but everyone stopped and was silent when he entered the room. Thousands of people looked at him and Varion simply looked them over, his expression neutral. Suddenly, cheers erupted and tankards were banged against the tables. The noise was quite remarkable, seeing as there were thousands of people doing it. Varion was quite touched at the gesture, he didn't think he'd be that big of a deal here. Despite himself, he smiled.

A man then stood up from one of the benches and made his way over to Varion and his group. Varion was a bit taken aback, he actually recognised this man and was a little honoured by his presence. He offered a bow of his head. "Ysgramor. It is an honour to be in your presence."  
"Likewise Dragonborn. I welcome you to our hall" Ysgramor replied, shaking Varions hand firmly. "None have entered our hall since that infernal Alduin set his soul snare here. Despite our rage and the World-Eaters arrogance, Shor commanded that we sheath our blades and hold back from attacking." The look on his face was indicative of his thoughts on that command. A smile then returned to his face. "Ah, but Shor has said nothing about you not fighting!" Varion returned the grin.

"Indeed, and I'm here to destroy him!" Varion replied confidently, raising his voice a bit so the crowd would listen. Those who could hear cheered for his words.

"A noble task, and one you will surely succeed in." He then looked behind the Dragonborn at the men and women behind him. "Welcome friends! Welcome to Shor's Hall! Here you will meet friends, for under this roof, we are all brothers and sisters!" At his words, the crowd behind Varion dispersed, wishing him luck on this task before beginning to mingle and take part in the good life of Sovngarde. Kodlak asked Varion to see him one more time before he returned to Nirn and Varion promised him that he would. Kodlak smiled, nodded, then walked away as well, possibly looking for his other Harbingers. Before long, Varion was left alone with Ysgramor.

"This place is amazing," Varion said, still taking in everything. Ysgramor chuckled.

"Wouldn't be worth dying for if it wasn't. Of course, it'll be a lot better without the World-Eater flying around." Varion frowned, reminded of his task.

"Of course. He needs to be destroyed. That's why I'm here."

"Such a task will not be easy Dragonborn. If you would follow me, three valiant heroes wait for your word to assist you in your fight."

"Heroes? I was hoping to do this alone" Varion replied, unsure of whether to accept the offer. Admittedly Alduin would be very powerful here and last time he'd had the help of Paarthurnax, but he didn't really want to drag anyone else into his problems this time. "I don't want to get anyone killed on my behalf" he added, explaining his viewpoint. To his surprise, Ysgramor just laughed.

"Dragonborn, these are warriors of Sovngarde. They are already dead, we cannot be slain again" he said, almost teasingly. Varion looked at the ground, kind of ashamed.

"I know that. I meant like, if they got absorbed by Alduin, or something" he muttered.

"These heroes do not fear that fate, Varion. They are very familiar with Alduin, and they would gladly risk even eternal life to see him stopped" Ysgramor said reassuringly. Varion then looked up, wondering something.  
"You said there were three? Are these by any chance the heroes that fought Alduin the first time?"

"Why yes, yes they are," Ysgramor replied, gesturing to Varion to follow him. "I'm glad you know of them. They have been the most eager to destroy Alduin of any warriors here, save for perhaps Tsun. But they waited, hoping that you would arrive in pursuit of your foe."

"Well I'd hate to disappoint them" Varion replied. He was quite glad at the identity of his allies, they were powerful warriors and they wielded the voice, and also Dragonrend. They'd be more than capable of helping him.

"Behold, the ancient tongues, brave heroes of ancient times" Ysgramor announced.

He gestured to a blonde woman. "Gormlaith the fearless, glad hearted in battle."

"I've long waited for this day Dragonborn. The day I can get my revenge" she said with excitement. Varion winced a little, remembering how she'd been killed in the great battle. Ysgramor then gestured to a battle axe wielding warrior with a missing eye.

"Hakon the Valiant, heavy-handed warrior."

"It'll be a pleasure to make Alduin taste my steel once more," the man said to Varion confidently. The Dragonborn nodded in return. Ysgramor then nodded towards the oldest warrior.

"Felldir the Old, far-seeing and grim."

"I will follow your lead Dragonborn, to vanquish our ancient foe."

_Old is right. He looks like he could be my great grandfather._ "I'd be honoured to fight alongside you all," Varion said, nodding respectfully.

"The sentiment is returned from us to you Dragonborn. You who have bested the World-Eater already, a feat we found impossible" Felldir replied.

"Thanks for teaching me Dragonrend by the way," Varion remarked. "Without it, I couldn't have forced Alduin to retreat here, to where he can be destroyed." The trio looked a bit confused at this.

"Taught you? How? We lived several thousand years apart?" Hakon asked.

"I witnessed your battle using the Elder Scroll, learned it straight from the three of you. You guys fought well."

"Thank you Dragonborn. I only wish we could have slain him all those years ago" Felldir said, his gaze aimed at the ground and his face laced with shame.

"Too late for regrets. You earned us thousands of years of peace from Alduin, and now it's time for me to finish what you started" Varion replied.

"The Dragonborn speaks true. Let us face the worm once more, and free Sovngarde from his dark clutches!" Gormlaith stated, earning an affirming nod from Hakon next to her.

"Hold comrades! Let us think before battle is blindly joined" Felldir reasoned. Varion nodded, this time they could plan a strategy as opposed to when he'd been caught off guard by Alduin last time. "Alduin's mist is more than a snare. It's shadowy gloom is his shield and cloak."

"Felldir is right. The World-Eater fears you Dragonborn" Hakon added.

"As he should. I noticed that Clear Skies can blast away some of the mist. Can the three of you use that shout too?"

"Aye. If we combine the power of our four voices, we should have enough power to vanquish his dark shield. Then he will be forced to face us in battle" Felldir reasoned.

"You think Dragonrend will still work here?" Varion asked. He knew that it was a necessary weapon, hence why he hoped the realm of Sovngarde wouldn't affect the shout in any way.

"It will. Bring him to the ground and we shall attack together with all of our strength, in desperate battle to destroy our foe" Gormlaith replied.

"Alduin is invulnerable while in the air. We must ground him in order to claim victory. Expect him to try everything to win this fight, the same tactics you saw in the scroll and what you have experienced personally. This battle will decide his fate, so he will not hold back" Felldir warned. Varion smirked a little.

"It wouldn't be a fight worthy of prophecy if it was easy. I'll face his full power and crush it. In his dying moments, he'll know of the one mortal who was powerful enough to destroy him" he stated confidently.

With those words, he began walking towards the doors of Shor's hall, the warriors and Ysgramor following behind him. An eerie quiet had fallen over the hall, the conversation and laughter of only a few minutes ago now silent as if in anticipation. Varion glanced around the hall and saw that, once again, all eyes were on him. He found Kodlak waiting for him at the doors.

"I wish you the best of luck, Varion" the former Harbinger stated, holding out a hand. Varion shook it firmly.

"You've waited too long for this paradise. I've no intention of letting it be ripped away from you now" he replied.

"You are a noble man. Perhaps someday, in many years, we can raid Hircine's hunting grounds and rescue all the other Companions who are trapped there."

"The ravaging of the Hunting Grounds. It sounds like a good time" Varion admitted.

"Aye, but you are still of the wolf blood" Kodlak pointed out. There was no judgement in his tone, no sternness, only a hint of sadness at that fact.

"I still carry it, yes. But I do so for the strength it grants me, not for the afterlife it brings. I have no desire to go to Hircine's realm" Varion replied with full honesty. During his struggle with his dragon nature, he'd actually put debate up between the two. Sovngarde had sounded like a much more pleasant time, but the endless blood, struggle and battle of the hunting grounds had actually tempted his more ruthless side. However, after his meditation and actually seeing what Sovngarde had to offer, his mind was made up.

"I am glad of this Varion. I will be very happy to see you here again once your life has been lived." There was an unmistakable smile on Kodlak's face as he said that and Varion grinned a little in response.

"Same to you Kodlak. But now I've got to go and make sure that we'll get that chance" he replied, nodding respectfully and walking out the door opened by Ysgramor.

"Good luck Dragonborn. I have no doubt you will succeed" he said. Varion nodded in thanks and he and his companions jogged across the bridge. They passed by Tsun.

"Don't suppose you could lend a hand?" Varion asked, though he already knew the answer. With a sad smile, Tsun shook his head.

"Shor bids me to remain out of this fight. But his eyes are on you this day Dragonborn, in anticipation of your triumph."

Varion and his companions stopped only a short while off the bridge, Felldir saying that there was a large flat area of land right before us that would be ideal for the battle. Varion glanced around, then placed his helmet on his head, making his final preperations.

"Well then, are we ready?" Varion called out.

"Of course!" Gormlaith replied.

"Right then. Here we go!" Varion shouted, then he proceeded to actually shout.

"LOK VAH KOOR!"

His voice and the voices of his companions echoed and the mist was blasted apart. As it disappeared, it revealed a sight almost as beautiful as the Sovngarde sky. The land was beautiful. The grass was lush and greener than Varion had ever seen, there was every kind of flower imaginable spread throughout and there was crystal clear water, literally as clear as the finest diamonds. Combined with the sky, it was truly an amazing sight. However, it didn't last long. He heard a dreadful roar from the distance and then a shout.

"VEN MUL RIIK!"

With what Varion could assume was Alduin's shout, more mist rolled in and covered the picturesque landscape in dark fog again.

"Damn it!" Varion growled.

"We must shout again! Together, we can disperse this snare!" Felldir called out. The four of them did this, shouting together. The echo was deafening and the mist was once again destroyed.

"Come Alduin! Face me!" Varion shouted, though the only answer he received was Alduin's shout and more mist. Varion growled, frustration getting bigger.

"Why isn't this working?" he groaned.

"Does his strength have no end? Is our struggle in vain?" Hakon questioned.

"Do not despair comrades! He is weakening! Once more and I have no doubt his snare will be broken!" Gormlaith called out in reply. While Varion figured this could just be more of her usual optimism, he then noticed that the mist was thinner this time and it had reformed further away from the heroes.

"Alright then, let's do this. Are we all ready?" As the heroes gave replies of confirmation, Varion clenched his fist. "Then let's do this! NOW!"

"LOK VAH KOOR!" That final shout had been the strongest one and the mist in front of them was dispersed in an instant. Varion could still see traces of it in the distance, but they'd cleared all they needed to to have their battleground.

"He will approach soon. Be wary Dragonborn" Felldir cautioned. Varion then drew Dragonsbane from it's sheath, taking a second to marvel at the blade before holding it down by his side.

"I'm ready. It's time to end this." They waited for a second, then another, then the sky erupted in fire. Just like at Helgen and the Throat of the World, flaming rocks rained from above and the beautiful sky of Sovngarde was covered in a menacing red glow.

The heroes and Varion dove aside, dodging each and every rock though there were some close calls. As another one approached Varion to crush him, he swung Dragonsbane, cleanly cutting the rock in half. _Unnecessary? Yes. But I'd rather show Alduin that his tricks won't make me run in fear, no matter what._ As if the World-Eater had heard his thoughts, Varion heard a roar that, at this point, was far too familiar for his liking. It echoed through the land, and Varion turned towards the direction directly opposite the whalebone bridge. He gripped his sword and grinned in anticipation.

"Let's dance!"

As if on cue, with scales blacker than midnight and eyes redder than a Daedra's heart, Alduin emerged over the hill, and descended to the battleground.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion's grip tightened on Dragonsbane as the dragon approached. There was something different about him. He looked less like a tangible beast like he had back at the Throat of the World and more like what he apparently was. The Nordic God of Destruction. Truly, this was not going to be easy. As Alduin got closer, before he could do anything, Varion drew breath.

"JOOR ZAH FRUL!" The powerful energy of Dragonrend enveloped Alduin who shrieked with rage as he crashed to the ground. Varion dived out of the way, then he and the other heroes lept into action. Seeing as every wound Varion had dealt on him earlier was gone, he had no doubt recovered. Varion quickly made his way to his neck, intending to attack his weakest point, but Alduin quickly thrust his head in that direction, trying to headbutt him. Varion dove to the side, barely avoiding the attack and he stayed down to avoid the follow-up swipe in the opposite direction.

Varion noticed the glow beginning to fade from around Alduin, the sign of Dragonrend wearing off. Before his nemesis could take flight, Varion quickly got to his feet and slashed downwards with Dragonsbane. It didn't do much and Alduin took flight immediately after, getting out of reach, but Varion noticed blood on the blade. _Good, this thing still works and works well._

"None of our attacks hurt him! The worm has grown stronger!" Hakon called out. Apparently they hadn't had too much luck damaging him while he was focused on Varion.  
"You need to give me an opportunity to attack his weak points! This sword still hurts him!" Varion called out, seeing nods from his companions.

When Alduin came around for another pass, Varion used Dragonrend again, forcing him to crash once more and this time, he attacked in a more cautious way. He made do with one or two slashes, then quickly preparing to dodge. His sword was definitely doing damage, and if death by a thousand cuts was how he won, he'd do it. Unfortunately, Alduin quickly took flight again.

"Really starting to get sick of that," Varion muttered. "You can all use Dragonrend, right?!"

"Aye Dragonborn!" Felldir replied.

"Then next time, we don't let him take off! Keep him down!" He saw an affirming nod from his companion and turned his attention back to his enemy.

Alduin flew down from the sky and bathed the land in fire, but Varion simply used his Bend Ethereal shout and he felt nothing. When Alduin came back around for another pass, he was met with two different Dragonrend shouts, both Varion and Gormlaith hitting him at once. He collided with the ground again and growled in frustration.

"I will take pleasure in feasting on your souls!" he roared.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing!" Varion shouted in reply before actually shouting with Fire Breath. Alduin actually staggered from the attack before he was attacked from all angles once more.

"For Shor!" Hakon cried.

"For Skyrim!" Gormlaith shouted.

"For Sovngarde's freedom!" Felldir called.

_For everyone I have back home._ Varion intensified his attacks, striking with all his force. He didn't feel anything else in his mind other than the desire to kill Alduin and save everyone, no wolf blood, no dragon nature, just pure focused determination.

An upwards slice on Alduin's neck made a very satisfying cutting noise and as Varion jumped back, he saw a steady flow of blood from the wound.

"You think you can kill me?!" Alduin shrieked.

"I know I can! FO KRAH DIIN!" A torrent of freezing energy burst forth from Varions mouth. Alduin launched his own Fire Breath in reply and the two forces collided, struggling against each other. Eventually, there was a small explosion at the collision point and the area was blanketed in smoke. Thanks to his wolf blood, Varion could see fairly well despite all this and he made his way around Alduin, trying to get behind him to attack the tail. During this battle, he'd seen two of his allies suffer heavy blows from that tail and he wanted to try to neutralise the threat.

"LOK VAH KOOR!" Surprisingly, it was Alduin that shouted, clearing the mist. Evidently, he was displeased to find Varion gone. He attempted to take flight, but Varion used Dragonrend to ground him once more.

The dragon was coated in blood now. Dark red rivers ran from every wound and even the Old Heroes weapons were damaging him well now, not just the purpose built Dragonsbane. His movements were slowing and his Shouts had weakened, proven by their earlier Shout collision.

Varion swung Dragonsbane down on Alduin's tail, about a third of the way down from his body. It made a satisfying crunch against his scales and more blood flowed. Varion had never been more pleased to see a being bleed. _I guess it's true. A warrior sees true beauty in the blood of his enemy._

However, Alduin quickly thrashed with his tail, catching Varion in the chest and sending him flying a considerable distance away. However, he quickly used a single word of Become Ethereal to cushion the impact.

"That will never not feel weird" Varion remarked, gazing at his ghostly hand. He'd taken a fair few falls while ethereal, but the feeling of, well, not feeling anything upon the impact was still a strange one.

He stood to his feet and ran towards Alduin again, making use of his temporarily limitless stamina while ethereal. When he was within range, he dispelled the effect and jumped forward, performing a downwards slash on Alduin's neck. The blade cut deep and the World Eater thrashed around, causing Varion to quickly tear his blade out and move backwards out of range.

"How?! How are you this strong?!" Alduin roared, proceeding to Shout again with Frost Breath. Varion answered with his own Shout.

"WULD!" In a split second, he was out of the way. "You should know Alduin. I'm destined to destroy you" he replied confidently.

Varion quickly used Dragonrend again, though it seemed almost unnecessary. The Old Heroes' efforts had greatly weakened Alduin and he could see the wounds from his own attacks covering the dragon.

"End this Dragonborn!" Hakon called out. Varion grinned, he could see that victory was within his grasp.

He charged towards Alduin's face and slashed with Dragonsbane again. The blow made the dragon recoil and Varion quickly followed up with two more, practically slicing apart Alduin's nose.

As he turned his head in pain, Varion thrust his katana into Alduin's neck, sinking it right to the hilt. Varion then placed his hand on the wound, tore out his sword and used a powerful shock spell, an old trick. Alduin jolted as the blood covering him was electrified and Varion smiled darkly.

"It's over!" he roared. Varion grabbed ahold of the wound he'd made on Alduin's neck, then stabbed his sword into a higher spot. Using all his remaining strength, he managed to climb on top of Alduin and sat on his neck, just behind his head. He made one weak slash at Alduin's head and the dragon buckled. Varion then took his sword in both hands, raising it high above his head and aimed towards Alduin's skull.

"You cannot kill me! I AM ALDUIN! I AM A GOD!" Varion chuckled for a moment, then answered.

"I am Varion, the last Dovahkiin. And as for you Alduin? YOU ARE HISTORY!"

With those words, Varion thrust Dragonsbane down into his enemies skull. While that wouldn't have been a fatal blow back in the mortal world, it was certainly lethal here. Varion jumped off his enemies head, rolling as he landed and getting to his feet, holding his sword ready just in case. He vaguely heard the cheers from his companions, but Alduin didn't appear to be done quite yet.

He thrashed, roaring in pain, then reared up on his legs.

"ZU'U UNSLAAD! ZU'U ALDUIN!" he roared in defiance as he began to fade. Unlike every dragon Varion had slain before, Alduin wasn't glowing. Varion felt no rush of power. Instead, Alduin was breaking apart, pieces of him floating in the air. It was as if he was shattering slowly.

"Eternal? I think it's a little late for that" Varion said quietly, watching his nemesis disappearing.

Alduin's soul eventually burst from his body, though instead of it flowing into Varion, it appeared to be going towards the sky, shooting upwards past his floating, disintegrating scales. It disappeared into the sky as Alduin's body continued to thrash. Varion was not known for his sympathy, but the screams that Alduin was making made him shiver.

Eventually, when Alduin had been reduced to little more than a black skeleton, his remaining body exploded in a flood of energy, causing Varion to temporarily brace against the force. When that had settled, he looked around. There was no trace of the dragon, no scales, no soul. Varion took a deep breath, finally realising exactly what had happened.

He had won. Alduin was gone.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Varion stood there, just taking in everything that had happened. He'd done it. He'd won. Alduin was gone. Well, he was taking most things in. Except for Alduin's soul. He'd seen it disappear into the sky, that was the only thing worrying him.

_Does this mean he's not truly gone?_ Varion shook his head, clearing the doubts from his mind for now. He'd stabbed him in the back of the head and made him explode. That would be enough to kill most beings, so he'd just make the assumption that Alduin was gone, at least for the time being. He sheathed his blade, content that, for the moment, it's job had been completed. It had proven itself as the bane of all dragons, and technically so had he.

He was broken out of his internal thoughts by the cheering of his new allies. The heroes of old roared in triumph, even Felldir. Varion approached them, his limbs now feeling sluggish.

_Huh. Guess the exhaustion finally caught up with me._ The battle felt like it happened extremely fast, but in truth they'd hacked down Alduin for several minutes. He had been extremely powerful. _But not strong enough._

However, as he walked towards the heroes, and by extension the whalebone bridge, he saw a remarkable sight. Dozens of Nordic heroes standing outside the hall or just on the bridge, all cheering his title, "Dragonborn", or "Harbinger" if they had been companions. He smiled despite himself. He was proud of what he'd done.

The Heroes of Old walked over to him and they all shook hands as warriors, hand to forearm.

"Truly, this was an amazing feat!" Gormlaith proclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "At last, my death has been avenged!"

_Huh. Not many people get to avenge their own death._ Varion smiled in return.

"Thanks for the help. Couldn't have done it without you."

"No need to be modest Dragonborn" Hakon replied. "Your strength is unrivalled. Truly, you are the greatest warrior among us."

"Maybe so, but you three were the ones who gave the world thousands of years free from Alduin, and you did that without the aid of a dragon's soul. You should stand proud" Varion replied, leading to smiles from the Old Heroes.

"We thank you Dragonborn. Our ancient foe, finally vanquished. We may at last rest" Felldir said, before turning and beginning the walk over the bridge. Hakon nodded and went the same way while Gormlaith gave Varion a wink before following her companions.

_What was that supposed to mean?_ Varion was snapped out of his thinking by the approach of Tsun. The God was actually smiling.

"This was a mighty deed! The doom of Alduin, fulfilled at last! Sovngarde is once more free of his soul snare!"

"Thank you Tsun" Varion replied, bowing his head.

"They will sing of this battle in Shor's all forever. However, your fate lies elsewhere" Tsun continued. "When you have lived your life on Nirn and your days are spent, I hope to see you once more at this bridge and you may join the other heroes in feasting."

Varion could only nod once again. Getting such praise from a God was quite the overwhelming feeling. He turned and looked around the area. Now that Alduin was gone, so was his mist, and Sovngarde's true beauty was revealed again. The grass, the flowers, the water, it was all very inviting. However, the knowledge that he would likely see it again one day was enough to make him happy for now.

He saw many, many warriors approaching the bridge from the surrounding area now that the mist was gone and their path was clear. He smiled at that. _Now they can finally have peace._

"Are you ready to rejoin the living Dragonborn? I can return you at any time" Tsun asked, bringing his attention back to the God.

"I just have to see Kodlak. I promised I would."

"Already ahead of you lad" Kodlak called out, walking down the bridge to join the two warriors. "You did it Varion. Well done!" Varion smiled and the two clasped hand to forearm.

"I couldn't let you down."

"I had utmost faith you wouldn't," Kodlak replied, the smile never leaving his face. "I just had a question for you, if I may?" Varion tilted his head.

"Of course." Kodlak's face then turned serious.

"Farkas and Vilkas. Are they cured of the beast blood?"

"No, not yet. However, we can do so at any time, we have enough heads" Varion replied.

"Do they wish to be cured?"

"Yes, they do. Rest easy Kodlak, they will join you here someday." This brought a smile to the old man's face once more.

"That makes me happy to hear. And Aela?" This made Varion frown.

"I don't know. I know she wants to see Skjor again, and she enjoys the power of the blood. I don't think she'll be here." Varion found it sad to admit that, knowing it would upset Kodlak, but he merely sighed.

"It is her choice. I will not judge her, and I will always support her in her path." Surprisingly, he smiled yet again. "Perhaps someday, when we rescue the other Companions from Hircine's realm, we can bring them back too." Varion nodded.

"I'd gladly fight alongside you." Kodlak grinned a little.

"I'm happy to hear that. But one more question Varion." Varion raised an eyebrow in curiosity as Kodlak's expression turned serious. "How is your struggle with your inner nature going? Have you found some way to control it?" This took him a little aback, but the Dragonborn smiled.

"I think I have. I've got it under control."

"Good, good. Just remember lad, the struggle for inner peace is one that spans a lifetime, not a few months."

"I know Kodlak. And I'm prepared to go through all that."

"I chose my successor well," Kodlak replied with one final smile and he turned around, walking back over the bridge. Varion watched him go for a few more seconds, then turned to Tsun.

"If I may Tsun, I also have a question."

"Ask Dragonborn and I will answer if I can."

"In the hall, is there a man called Thrakon? Or a woman called Auveril? They would have arrived around 12 years ago." Tsun thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"My apologies Dragonborn. I know not of those two. Who are they?" Varions expression fell and he looked to the ground.

"My parents. They died over a decade ago. I hoped to see them here, but I knew deep down it wouldn't happen" he answered softly, recalling flashes of a blue glow erupting from his father's body as a sword was stabbed through his chest. Tsun clasped him on the shoulder.

"Despair not Varion. For if they were here, they would be proud of the man you have become." Despite himself, Varion smiled.

"Thank you, mighty Tsun. That brings me some comfort." The God returned his smile.

"Of course. Now, are you ready to return?"

"Yes, I should return to Nirn. I've no doubt I have much left to take care of back home" Varion replied.

"Indeed. I am sure you will have much more to accomplish, and more to write on the pages of history. But before you return, I grant you this gift from Shor, a shout to summon a Hero of Old in times of need. Hun, Kaal, Zor." Varion bowed his head as he felt the knowledge flow into him.

"My thanks."

"Farewell Dragonborn, until we meet again. NAHL, DAAL VUS!"

The shout collided with Varion and his vision faded to white. His body felt weightless, like when he was ethereal. It felt like he was being transported somewhere, kind of like falling. Whatever was happening, Varion was sure of two things.

He had won, and he was going home.

* * *

**A/N:And there we go. It's finally completed, the main questline of Skyrim. This is by far my longest chapter and one of the hardest to fully write, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. I'll likely be taking a short break to figure out the path that this story will take after this, then we'll be back with more adventures with Varion. Trust me, his story still has a long way to go.**

**As for the other story that has been uploaded twice and deleted twice, involving Silver, I've decided to restructure that story into something else entirely. I'll wait until I've written a substantial amount of that story before giving further details, I don't want to risk it being posted and dying off immediately afterwards again. Just know that it will involve Silver and three other OC's, in a similar style to Adamant39's "Four Walking Disasters". If you haven't read that story, I can't recommend it enough, it's so good.**

**If you guys enjoyed this chapter, please review and leave me feedback! It helps me grow better and there's nothing more satisfying than reading comments from you guys.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you all next time on The Legend of Varion!**


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